


S.W.A.M.P. Boys

by quicksylver28



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Dark, Elves, Multi, Original Character Death(s), Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Vampires, Violence, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 03:54:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 30,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14992187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quicksylver28/pseuds/quicksylver28
Summary: There are one hundred and forty seven rules on the yellow sign that hangs above the Main Dispatch window. One hundred and forty seven rules that every employee of the Solid Waste Management Company Limited must know and memorize within the first few days on the job, despite the faded letters and holes scratched through.At the end of the day though, it boils down to a short and simple four.Work Hard. Get Dirty.Keep your head down. Keep your mouth shut.The first two help you keep your job.The second two help you keep your life.We are the Nameless. We are the Faceless.We are the Unseen. We are the Unnoticed.We are the SWAMP Boys.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i did this story last year for Rough Trade, based on a story idea i had over a decade ago, put it up on AO3 then took it down two days later. it was the first time i'd ever done that but i felt that this story wasn't ready. i felt that i wasn't ready. 
> 
> well, i think i'm ready now. so i'm going to take this one slowly. editing and putting up each chapter and taking my time to make sure the end is just as fulfilling to write as the beginning was.
> 
> this story has dark themes yes, i warned for them but i am not a 'rock falls everyone dies' person so it's more of dark humour and angst than anything else. 
> 
> so here we go.
> 
> There is FANART to this. check my other original works. i had as much fun casting for this story as i did writing it.

 

Baltimore  
East End  
11:08pm

"Late again Kid"

The low, scratchy voice came from the overhead speakers, screeching and crackling with feedback and ending with a high-pitched whine. Kid ducked his head, wincing at the noise as he yanked his time card from its slot, pushing it into the humongous clock punch. The device ticked ominously before punching his card, the sound as loud and jarring as a gunshot.

He pulled the card back out, making a face at the red inked letters instead of the normal black. This was his third red time stamp on this card alone, one more and he'd be called in to see the Night Manager. He glanced up at the perpetually closed office door on the second level balcony and cringed. No one wanted to get called up to the night manager's office.

People went in there and didn't come out.

"Sorry" he mumbled, slipping the card into its slot.

He hitched his ragged backpack a bit further up his shoulder and shuffled passed the dispatch window. The thick glass was opaque and cracked and the small circular vent with slats was scratched to hell. The wire that once held a microphone hung frayed, ripped out almost to the root. The clouded window was lined with peeling yellow and black caution tape and several occupational safety signs and miscellaneous dirty paper flyers had been pinned to the rotting corkboard to one side.

Above Dispatch there hung a huge yellow metal sign, scratched and rusted with age. On it in black paint, chipped and flaking, was a list of 147 rules. When Kid had first seen the sign, he'd chuckled, thinking it a joke. He'd soon enough been disabused of that notion. The rules here were serious business.

They were rules to work by, to live by and if you weren't careful, to die by.

Dispatch screeched and crackled obnoxiously. "Don't let it happen again."

Kid sighed under his breath and kept his face blank. Just because he couldn't see into the booth, didn't mean that whoever was in there couldn't see out. In fact, he didn't have the first clue about who was in that booth or anything about them. From his first day of work he'd known nothing but the clouded window and the voice.

The voice seemed neither male nor female and in this line of work it could be either or it could easily be something else entirely. Who or whatever it was, it felt like nails on a chalk board when snapping out orders peppered with sarcastic and condescending quips.

Kid made his way to Bay Four, stuffing his backpack into his locker and stripping down to his t-shirt and boxers. There was no room for modesty today, he was already late. He snatched his coveralls off the hook and was stepping into them when a hail came from behind him.

He glanced over his shoulder, hopping as he tried to get his other foot into the leg.

"Hey Chocco." he pulled the white coveralls on over his shoulders and zipped it up completely. "How's your ma doing? Still complaining about the cold?"

The big man frowned and shook his head, "Nah, Kid. I bought her a new space heater and she's snug as a bug in a rug. Also my sister's coming in to visit from egypt with her kids and Ma's been so excited, she hasn't gotten time to be unhappy."

The large, bald man sat on a nearby bench and starts digging through his duffel. "You're up shit creek Kid. Fenn is hopping made. We missed out on a sweet call because we didn't have a full outfit. Team Two took it and Grazzie was his usual asshole self about it."

"Shit man," Kid groaned. "He's gonna ride my ass all day. How sweet?"

"Vampire. Feeding Party."

"I'm fucked." Kid slapped a hand to his forehead and slumped unto the bench. "I had to drag Bobby all the way home from the alley behind Gino's again. Get him cleaned up, fed and into bed"

Chocco shrugged with sympathy. "I know he's your little brother and all and that you promised your Ma that you'd care for him. You know how I am about family. But Kid, there's only so much you can do for a junkie. They have to want to get better."

Kid rubbed his palm against his close shaven scalp. "It's just… He's my little brother you know?"

The larger man nodded solemnly and tucked away his duffel, grabbing his gear and walking towards the white truck that was parked in the centre of the bay.

"Just lay low for a while ok Kid? Fenn's practically foaming at the mouth. " He threw over his muscular shoulder as he went.

Kid nodded and bent down to put on his rubber work boots. Today was shaping up to be a shitty day. First he hadn't been able to sleep much, the downstairs neighbors having claimed the prize in their daily obscenity screaming contest, who in turn kept pace with the bratty kids stomping up and down the halls of their crappy apartment building. He'd finally been able to grab some shut eye when his phone alarm blared.

He'd burnt his eggs and had to make due with soggy toast alone for breakfast; the water in the shower was running rusty again and his shoe lace had broken. He'd finally stumbled out of the apartment on time when half way to work, he'd spotted his younger brother in his favourite alley with a couple of his junkie friends. He'd had to scramble the fifteen year old by the collar and frog march him home.

By the time he'd secured a weak promise from his brother to stay home and sleep for a few hours at least, he'd found himself almost late. He'd done a dead sprint to work, sliding through the doors by eight minutes past. A damn fine effort in his opinion. Too bad Dispatch saw it different.

And if what Chocco said was true and his tardiness had cost them a sweet assignment? Then Dispatch was the least of his worries. Fenn was sure to roast his ass on a fucking spit. Vampire jobs were choice.

A shadow fell across his shoes and he gave a soft sigh. So much for laying low.

He straightened up and nodded at the man scowling at him.

"Hey Boss"


	2. Chapter 2

 

"Boss man has you on shit detail again?"

 

Kid jumped at the smooth, dark voice behind him, unable to fight down a flinch which, thankfully, was barely visible under the full rubber suit and facemask he was wearing. He gave a shallow nod and a grunted noncommittally, hunching down into his given task; hoping against hope that the other would leave him alone.

 

Unfortunately, his hopes were in vain.

 

"Not making a very good impression on the highers up, Kid. Slackers don't last long in the SWAMP."

 

Priest's voice was soft and deadly just behind his ear and it took everything within him to keep from curling into a ball. He could feel the cold breath even under his thick suit and even though he KNEW that the other man wasn't actually physically near him, that it was Priest using his voudun to freak Kid out, he couldn't suppress the fear that always welled up in his throat.

 

Even though the chocolate skinned man was the kind of beautiful that had women and men fawning over him, there was something cracked within him. Some wrong on some fundamental level that Kid just couldn't put his finger on. Like he'd been torn apart somehow and stitched back together haphazardly. Something just didn't align. It was jarring to be around the man too long, much less work a twelve hour shift with him.

 

Kid had asked Chocco once why a powerful Houngan like Priest would stoop so low as to work in the SWAMP but the large half djinn had just shook his head with a warning to drop the subject like a hot potato. He'd even tried to bring the subject up with Bitter, the full blooded Fae on their team but the blonde had just stared at him in his usual unnerving silence until Kid finally backed away.

 

He couldn't ask Fenn, not if he wanted to get his ass handed to him. Their team leader wasn't one with much patience for stupid questions and according to him, any questions Kid asked was a stupid question. For a hot second, He'd even entertained asking Priest about himself but after witnessing the Voudun shaman make a corpse walk itself into disposal, he'd kept his fool tongue inside his mouth for his own sanity's sake.

 

He did the same thing now, focusing on the crud he was currently scraping out of one of the disposal bins. The tiny scraper tool was laughable, almost swallowed whole by his thick rubber gloves but that's what made it such a suitable punishment. Both his arms and shoulders hurt from the hard labour but it wasn't the worst thing that Fenn could have made him do.

 

"Keep this up and Fenn may just ask for a transfer for you. That kind of thing gets you called up to the night Manager's office."

 

Kid could hear the cruel smile in Priest's voice and swallowed heavily in the sudden feeling of dread that settled on him like a heavy blanket. He knew there was a good chance that Priest would not hurt him physically, there was a rule about such a thing on the sign above Dispatch, but the man often like to fuck with people mentally. And being the newbie on the team painted a target right between his shoulder blades.

 

He scraped the crud harder, biting the inside of his cheek so as not to give the other man the satisfaction of seeing him unsettled. He had a feeling that Priest knew it anyway. There was a smugness to the heavy feeling and for a second Kid feared that Priest would take it a step further than he usually did. With Fenn mad at him and Chocco and Bitter occupied eslewhere, there was no one to step in if things got out of hand.

 

Luckily for him, just as the dread took on a sharper edge, the claxon above their bay shrilled.

 

~~* Kzzt* Team FOUR call out. Madison East End. Kzzt*~~ Came from the overhead speakers.

 

Fenn came slamming out from the storeroom, yanking the mission detail printout from the cranky old dot matrix printer hanging next to Dispatch. He took the stairs two at a time and sprinted to the truck where Chocco and Priest were already buttoning up the last of the prep.

 

"799 Streeper Street. Wheels out in three." He threw a dark look at Kid, "Get moving people"

 

Kid scrambled to shed his thick rubber crud scraper suit, barely grabbing his gear as he all but threw himself into the back of the truck. Chocco chuckled as he braced himself against the jerk of what was probably Bitter's heavy hoof on the gas. The fae was a bit of a lead foot.

 

"Madison East? Vampire Central. Fancy-pants."

 

Kid shrugged, laying on the floor of the truck as he shimmied into his white overalls. He quickly zipped up, securing the wrists and ankles before slinging on his utility belt as he grumbled.

 

"I hope it's not fucking rotters again. I couldn't the smell out of my gear for a damned week."

 

"You have something against undead, Kid?" Priest teased from his shadowy corner, his white teeth gleaming in the unnatural darkness. "You may just be in the wrong business. Don't let the clients hear you talk like that. One of them might just take a bite out of you."

 

Kid pressed his tongue against his clenched teeth. Priest seemed to be itching for confrontation tonight. Thankfully Chocco nipped the rising tension in the bud.

 

"Cut it out, Priest. Stop giving the Kid shit and get your head in the game. Don't think that Fenn wouldn't put you in the dog house too if you fuck up on this job."

 

Kid sat back on the small bench, glancing at the shadowed corner just beyond where he imagined Priest's shoulder to be. "Yeah, And you know exactly what I meant. Don't put words in my mouth."

 

Chocco gave him a hard look and Kid wisely shut up for the rest of the ride.

 

The truck came to a sudden stop and they all had to brace themselves this time to keep from falling over. Chocco quickly jumped out, hauling their large cart down the hastily unfurled ramps. Kid took a minute to re-supply his disposable gloves when a voice hissed just behind his ear.

 

"I could put more than just words in your mouth, little Brownie. A little hair, a little bone, a little blood and you'd be all but begging for the things I would do to you. Remember you place, Imp."

 

And in the next breath he was gone, strolling down the ramp with a whistle and a jaunty walk. Kid glared at his back, anger and fear warring within him. If he didn't need this job he would…

 

But no, he couldn't think like that because he did need this job. And strangely enough, he liked it. He even liked his team to a point. Most of them, anyway. But the truth was that he needed this job. There was not a lot of work for his kind and he needed to keep a roof over his and his brother's heads as well as food on the table.

 

He'd made a promise to his mother on her deathbed and kept his kind always kept their promises once they'd been made and given. It had always been a blessing and a curse in his family,  with these past few years being more of a curse than anything else.

 

He exited the truck, all geared up and carrying two of the specialty equipment cases. In a neighbourhood like Madison East, it never hurt to be over prepared. The neighbourhood was exclusive and the houses expensive and old. In fact, some of the families had been here since the city had been founded back in 1729. In fact some of the residents here had been present during that time.

 

They'd parked the truck behind one of the smaller but still no less grand houses of Streeper Street, golden light shining through the servant's entrance out unto the damp alley way. Fenn was talking to the Majordomo, a tall bald man with a grey moustache. The man looked every bit the part from his crisp black tuxedo, with tails, to his white gloves and polished black shoes.

 

Fenn nodded along as the man spoke, making notes in pencil on the clipboard he held. After a few minutes of waiting out in the alley, they were ushered into the house. The kitchen was clean and a fire burned in the hearth. A grim heavy set woman in a maid's outfit looked up from where she was polish golden cutlery. There was a kettle on the fire and a simple tea set for two.  Otherwise the room looked unused.

 

Vampires, Kid guessed, or something that didn't need to cook their food. 

 

They go down a couple of hallways with way better wallpaper than Kid had ever seen.  Pressed silk in a pink blush that looks so soft and luxurious he wants to pull off his gloves and run his fingertips across.  But, as he didn't want to get his balls snatched off by Fenn, he kept his hands in his gloves and gripped the cases tighter. The most he could do was to let his eyes wander.

 

Chocco elbowed him in the arm when he'd paused a little too long to gawk. Kid flushed and kept his gaze glued to Bitter's back as they walked on. One of the rutles of the SWAMP was 'Keep your head down.' it wasn't exactly written on the large yellow sign but most of the 147 rules on what was known to the teams as the 'SWAMP bible' could be boiled down to four simple ones.

 

Work Hard.

Get Dirty.

Keep your head down.

Keep your mouth shut.

 

He knew how to work hard. He wasn't afraid to get dirty. It was the last two he most often had trouble with. He looked at things, he asked questions. He'd always done so. It was as natural to him as breathing. It was also the back bone of the SWMCOL and its SWAMP Division.

 

Efficiency. Discretion. Service.

 

The words hung above the Night Manager's office door in stark white letters and above the each of the bay doors in the large warehouse that served as their area headquarters.

 

Finally they were led to a pair of heavy carved doors which the butler smoothly pushed open. Beyond lay a well-appointed study, lovely dark wood shelves and glass cabinets stocked with expensive looking books and fragile looking knick knacks. The carpet was thick and plush and the furniture heavy and of the same carve dark wood.

 

There were priceless paintings on the wall in ornate frames and a massive wooden desk that sat in the centre of the room, dwarfing all the other furniture. Kid was impressed by the power and stature the room held. He was also impressed by all of the blood splattered and soaked over almost every surface.

 

The carpet was soaked in large patches, the walls spotted with what looked like arterial spray. The desk blotter and all of the papers upon it seemed like a lost cause but Kid was already thinking of all the ways he might be able to salvage them. Large wet chunks of flesh and brain matter were strewn across the floor and on the one chair that sat in front of the desk, apart from everything else.

 

Fenn took in the room and then turned, belting out orders, setting each team member to their tasks. Chocco set to work on the walls and furniture, all wooden surfaces. Bitter took the paintings and upholstery. Priest collected the flesh and blood while Fenn tackled the blood soaked carpets with the industrial wet/dry vac. Kid got the papers and books, like always.

 

It was one of the reasons he had this job in the first place. They'd needed a paper man for the team and he'd been transferred over from the old Archives. It was a raise in pay and a chance to see something other four walls filled with filing cabinets so he'd jumped at it without a look back.

 

He passed one of the cases to Chocco who nodded his thanks and walked over to the desk. It had been hard at first seeing the amount of gore they faced on a nightly basis, but he could block out the sights and smells better now. And the sounds too. Squelching on sodden carpets, bones breaking and grinding, the wet smack of flesh falling unto concrete or stone. The rattle plink of loose teeth tumbling to the floor. He'd had nightmares for weeks about the sounds alone.

 

He started on the paperwork, drawing out the stains slowly but surely. He didn't look at the words. SWAMP paid him not to. The less he knew of the clients business them less likely that he  would find himself with his tongue cut out and fed to him. He'd heard stories of former employees whose eyes had wandered and whose tongues had wagged.

 

He lost himself in the work, barely registering the shushing sounds of Chocco's fine magical sand gently scouring away the tougher stains. It was one of the few skills he'd inherited from his Djinn father and for being such a big man, he wielded the fine golden sand with master skill. He always kept a supply in a small tarnished lamp that hung from his belt.

 

He'd once told Kid that the lamp was his father's, brought across the Atlantic ocean by his pregnant mother. She'd found it in a bazaar in Egypt and bought it, thinking it a harmless trinket. After freeing his father, she'd been granted three wishes and being older and unmarried, had wished for a family. To her surprise, he married her and had three beautiful children, of which Chocco was the oldest. Ten years into the marriage, his father disappeared and no amount of rubbing the lamp would ever bring him back.

 

"That true?" Kid had asked in awe.

 

"Nah… I'm just fuckin' with yuh Kid," the big man had laughed a full belly laugh. "They met at a U2 concert and fucked behind the johns. She came home pregnant and married the boy from down the block to save her family name. I bought the lamp from a flea market. It makes a good story though right?"

 

Kid shook his head and chuckled behind his mask, placing the last piece of paper on the stack and turning towards the book case. Behind him, Bitters hand glowed blue as he drew the blood and gore from the priceless paintings. As the blood lifted away, he directed it towards the containment unit at his feet.

 

Priest had taken care of the ravaged flesh and was now summoning the blood from below the carpets, his eyed leeched white and glowing. Slow syrupy streams of blood flowed from the floors to pool between his hands and was then pushed into a special bio-hazard unit.

 

 Fenn had packed up the wet/dry vac and was giving the walls a final rub down. Fenn was a perfectionist and being the only full blooded human in the team, albeit in the SWAMP, did not make him any less of a hard task master. Fenn was a different kind of animal, hungry and ambitious and driven beyond expectations.

 

Fenn wanted, he needed, he craved; and he clawed his way up in the world, dragging his team along with him. Team four was the second best at the SWAMP, just behind Grazzie and Team two and it burned the team leader inside to always come in second to that sanctimonious asshole.

 

His team was only as good as its weakest link and to Fenn, Kid was one shitty link in the chain.

 

They worked silently and efficiently, the affluence of the house and the no doubt wealthy client made them all solemn and respectful. Fenn would expect no less from them than their best on jobs like these. While SWAMP teams did not and could not accepts tips, gifts or gratuities, positive feedback from clients lead to bonuses and perks at the job. It led to better, more lucrative jobs and job opportunities to move up and even out of SWAMP.

 

And boy did Fenn want up and out.

 

Because if you were good enough in SWAMP. If you showed how well you handled yourself, handles situations, clients and the unexpected then maybe you could find a wealthy patron to work for, get hired by one of the old families or even, if you were dedicated enough, get promoted to The Cleaners. That’s where the real money and power was. That's where Fenn wanted to be.

 

The Cleaners were to SWAMP was what 007 was to your run of the mill CIA stooge. They wore the black suits, sharp and put together with their quick tongues and out of this world skills. They were the fixers, the problem solvers, the very face of SWMCOL. They were the soaring dragon flies compared the scuttling roaches of SWAMP.

 

Kid finished up the books and other papers, stepping in to the grunt work for whoever needed it. Finally, Fenn did a final check and gave his nod of approval and as if by magic, the butler returned. This time though, he was not alone. A silver haired woman was with him, slightly stooped with age but with a fire in her eyes that burned bright. She was regal in her chic Chanel dress, her silver hair pulled back into a chignon and her skin a vibrant golden brown.

 

Aswang, Kid's mind supplied numbly as he made himself as small as possible without moving, Filippino Man Eater. She inspect the room, her hand resting calmly in the crook of the butler's arm. Her nails were shiny and way sharper that the norm. Probably what had been used to cause the carnage they'd just cleaned up. After a few tense seconds she twitched her lip, a sure sign of her satisfaction and the whole room seemed to breathe easier.

 

Fenn stepped forward and completed the job's final paperwork, smiling at the positive review. Payment would be made straight to SWAMP. No money was ever handled on site. Silently as they came in, they trooped back out to the alley, the door closing behind them with a final and cold click.

 

Fenn took a deep breath and turned to the team. "Good work everyone."

 

He paused and looked at Kid. "You too newbie. You still have to finish those bins when we get back though. "

 

Kid nodded. He expected nothing less. Fenn radioed in and they'd started packing it in when the radio on the dashboard squawked. Another job for Team Four. This time at McElderry Park which was just a few minutes away.

 

"Blood part mop up yesssssss." Fenn grinned savagely as info came though on the teletype installed in the truck. "Blood party. Morte D'Amour line."

 

He looked back through the open grate behind the seat to grin at the team as Bitter burnt rubber on the turn out of the alley. "Come on boys… It's make your mamas proud time"

 

Chocco's belly laugh echoed through the back of the truck as Kid scowled and banged his head against the wall.

 

"Shit. Not the fucking rotters."

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

Kid shut the door gently behind him and leaned back against it with a tired sigh, dropping his backpack onto the floor by his feet. It took him more than a minute to gather the energy to push himself out of the slump and make his way to the small kitchenette area. Harsh florescent light glinted off the cracked linoleum and the peeling enamel stove and fridge that Kid kept lovingly clean.

 

He couldn't help himself really, those of his kind were hardwired with a need to help and to keep things clean. Sometimes it was a blessing like being able to keep this shitty apartment he and his brother shared bearable to live in with his DIY projects and almost obsessive need to stress clean.

 

Sometimes it was a curse though. When his need to help others became a detriment to his own needs. It was what landed him in this situation in the first place. That, his little brother Bobby's mistake and a promise made in a desperate moment.

 

He placed the netted farmer's market bag with its meagre goods unto the small kitchen table. If they were careful, this would last them until the end of the week. This Friday was pay day and maybe he'd splurge and get them some chicken. Even though working in the SWAMP at severely dampened his taste for red meat, he still liked some protein in his diet.

 

He absently thought out his menu as he stumbled into his small bedroom, yanking off his clothes and dropping them into the hamper. The bathroom was small and shared between the two brothers and Kid made a face at the toothpaste smeared all over the tiny sink.

 

"Bobby, Put the cap back on the goddamn toothpaste. How many times do I have to tell you?"

 

No answer. Not home then. Kid pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes and tried not to sigh. His mother had told him all about people who sighed too much. A quick freezing shower and an omelet using the last egg later. He hung up his  jacket and hooked his shoes on the hot grate at the back of the fridge to dry out. Then he stumbled into bed with a groan.

 

He grappled in the sheets for his phone, absently dialing his brother's number. The first went to voicemail. So did the second. The third was a pick-up and hang-up and Kid cursed under his breath.

 

"Dammit, Bobby"

 

Blinking against the sun shining through the windows, he placed the phone on the stack of apple crates that made up his nightstand and reached for his sleeping mask. By the time the clock struck midday, he was fast asleep.

 

He was startled out of sleep just after nine pm by the slamming of the front door. For a few seconds he blinked stupidly, his heart racing. Snatching of his mask, he lay in bed, listening to his brother slamming around in the kitchen. He could hear the teenager rambling to himself as the fridge door opened and closed with a bang.

 

He stood, stretching out his back and yawning, before hobbling to the kitchen door. He scratched at his bare stomach, eyes squinting in the too bright light.

 

"Hey, what's got you so pissed off?" he yawned again, leaning against the door jamb in just his boxers.

 

Bobby looked up from where he was eating the last scrapings of peanut butter from the jar with a twizzler. His eyes were blood shot and had dark rings beneath them. His young face was pale and made their hereditary freckles stand out starkly against his skin. His lips were pursed thin and he was scowling.

 

"I need some money." the boy smacked around the last mouthful of the sticky substance.

 

"Good Morning to you too. How was your day?" Kid rolled his eyes, pushing off the doorway.

 

He grabbed the kettle and after shaking it and hearing no sloshing, he ambled over to the sink to fill it up. After he lit the stove and set the kettle down, he turned toward his little brother, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.

 

Bobby slouched further down into his rickety chair, licking the last of the smear off his fingers.

 

" Yeah yeah whatever. Are you going to give me the money or not?"

 

Kid pulled out a chipped mug from the dish rack. "What do you need it for? I'm not giving you what little cash we have for you and your shit friends to go blaze up in a warehouse somewhere. No fucking way."

 

The lanky haired teen glowered through his dirty bangs.

 

"What I want is to eat something that wasn't scrapped off the bottom of someone's shoe. Bruised tomatoes, old onions, moldy cheese? Why can't we have normal food? Cheetos and beef jerky. Fuck, I'd suck a dick for some ramen right now? "

 

Kid bit his tongue at that last one and swallowed down bitter words caught in his throat.

 

"That stuff is shit Bobby. I know junk is cheaper but you remember how sick we both got when we ate nothing but that crap for a month. You know our kind can't survive on processed crap like that. We need organic food, even if it’s a bit dodgy."

 

Bobby slammed the empty jar on the table. "No you're kind can't eat like that. I'm not some half breed with a hard-on for sneaking into the shoe-makers at night and eating his wife's pussy."

 

Kid growled "No,  you're the mutt with just enough leprechaun for you to not die of an drug overdose and just enough Incubus to put one over on the johns you're robbing blind."

 

"I hate you!" the teen stood abruptly, pushing his chair away. "You and Mom and your goddamned promise. We can't you just die and leave me alone. At least we'd both be happier."

 

Grabbing his jacket from the other chair, the teen slammed out of the apartment and upstairs a baby started crying. Kid buried his face in his shaking hands.  He hadn't meant to say that to his brother. He'd just been so angry. Something about Bobby just seemed to get under his skin.

 

He made his coffee in silence, forgoing his usual 'getting ready' playlist. Half an hour later, he was out the door and down the street, his hood pulled up and over his head and zipped up tight.

 

Today was going to be a shitty, he just knew it.

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

He glowered at the clock punch, flinching at the jarring, gunshot loud bang of the stamping mechanism. Something sarcastic snapped from Dispatch's overhead speakers but he kept his head down and steadily ignored it, whatever it was. Letting his tongue loose from between his painfully clenched teeth tonight would just be asking for a pink slip. Or a sound thrashing.

Stomping down the metal grate steps, he made his way to Bay Four, ignoring Grazzie's leer from Bay Two. He slammed his bag into his locker and roughly shook out his work suit. If he could just get through the night the maybe he could try to talk to Bobby tomorrow. He hoped to Maia that his brother was safe, well as safe as a coked out junkie who fucked and consequently robbed grown men to support his drug habit, could be. 

A soft hail behind him had him turning. "Hey Gun, glad to see you back."

Gun gave a half smile, tying his long black hair into a sloppy bun. "Good to be back Kid"

Kid took the time to watch the other man as he stripped off his AutoZone shirt, leaving him in a thin white vest. The beautiful Asian man was one of the few SWAMP employees who had a normal job as well. He was an excellent mechanic, keeping the team's old truck in tip top shape. He was also the team's Metal and Stone Guy.

Gun had been gone for a couple days, on special assignment for the Cleaners Division. Fenn had been beside himself with pride that a member of Team Four had been called on. He'd been almost unbearable smug for the past week, though it was mostly geared toward Grazzie so Kid didn't mind it too much. The down side was that he'd pushed the remaining members of the Team even harder to compensate. 

But now Gun was back and they had a full complement again. There was now also someone else to act as buffer between Kid and Priest. Not that Gun went out of his way to defend Kid but he at least shut the scene down when Priest edged the line. 

Soon enough the rest of the team trickled in, Fenn giving Kid a second look after glancing at the clock. He nodded in approval and walked on, greeting Gun and pulling him aside for a debrief. The more information Fenn could get on the Cleaners Division, the happier he was.

Their first call came in a couple hours later, just enough time for Chocco and Kid to clean and restock the truck. Chocco slapped Gun on the back with a wide grin as they all trooped into the back of the vehicle. 

"Praise be to Allah that you're back friend. We need to get Bitter off the wheel ASAP."

He laughed loudly as the truck turned a sharp corner, making them all brace themselves to keep from falling to the floor. 

Their first stop was a night club called Oberon. A swanky place Kid would never be able to afford to see the inside of, that was run by a syndicate of High Elves. The Manager, Melandrach, met them at the back entrance, looking sleek in his white, bespoke suit; his silver hair flowing down his back in loose waves and his electric grey eyes piercing in the gloom of the alleyway.

His pointed ears were scandalously pierced with intricate Mithril ornaments, studded through with diamonds. His long graceful nose as well as his lips were also pierced with tiny Mithril studs that matched the many rings he wore on his slender fingers.

There was the tiny tinkle of bells as he moved, no longer muffled by pounding house music. In fact the club's main floor was darkened, with just soft blue running lights. The bar, the DJ booth, the VIP Bottle sections, were all dark and deserted as the Elf led them through to a large door on the other side.

Kid tried to take in every detail. He'd heard so much about Oberon on social media that he'd despaired never making it inside and even if this wasn't quite the conditions he'd imagined seeing it for the first time under, he was grateful and delighted for even this chance.

The large dark red doors swung open easily, revealing an opulent lounge decorated in deep red and gold. Deep, plush couches lined the room with a few huge circular ottomans. At the end of the room was another door, smaller and almost concealed within the wall. This led to a set of stairs that went up and up. Finally, there was a carved wood door with the image of King Oberon himself stepping out of a forest, animals and other elves behind him. His eyes were set with bright blue sapphires that seemed to glow from the inside.

This door creaked open from age, Melandrach having to brace his shoulder against the wood. 

The room was small and circular with a skylight in the ceiling that was open to the air. The half-moon was shining pale light in a column to the carved stone floor. Beyond the column of light was yet another door. The elf instructed them to walk around the edge of the room, under no circumstances were they to step on the carved stone medallion at the centre.

Kid heeded the warning seriously, Elvish magic was as beautiful and cruel as they were themselves. The smaller door was simple raw wood and iron bracings which was strange because Elves didn’t have much use for iron.

The even smaller ante room was like something out of an abattoir. Even Bitter, who seemed unflappable and had been exchanging scornful glances with Melandrach, balked at the sight and putrid smell.

It looked like if some fell beast had been ripped apart; dark blood, guts and bowels decorated the walls, floor and even the domed stone ceiling. Chooco hissed a few expletives under his breath as Kid just blinked a few times against the burning in his eyes and reached for his mask.

First the Rotters from last night and now this. He would have to soak in bleach to get the stink out now goddammit. While Fenn remained outside to chat with the client, the guys just shrugged at each other and got to work. They worked in complete silence, knowing from habit what they needed to do and communicated by hand signal if needed. Normally either Kid or Chocco would try to bring some banter to the job but the smell was so acrid, it stuck to the back of the throat.

Even Priest was grimly silent; which Kid saw as the only silver lining to be found in this horror show. It was a good thing he'd only had coffee for breakfast. Upon a closer look, it seemed that whatever the beast was, it had apparently done this damage to itself. What was left of its hands and claws were caked in its own dried blood and offal. It was gruesome to think about and even more so to see.

Fenn stepped into the room, face solemn as he instructed them to place the cleanup into special bio-hazard containers that had runes carved into them. These were usually kept for really dangerous stuff and Kid had to physically bite his tongue to keep himself from asking a million questions. 

Instead he focused on the job in front of him, helping Chooco while Priest sealed the containers and Gun and Fenn started on the stone walls. It was backbreaking work, gruesome and unending because the black fluids were sticky and had seeped into the stone. Priest and Kid were selected to carry the bins down to the truck and he took the time to gawk at the club each time they passed.

Employees had started filtering in and he was grateful for his mask which meant that he could watch them without being noticed. Graceful Elves, ethereal Fae, aloof Vampires, smoking hot lycans all milled around, getting the club ready for opening. They got a few curious looks as they passed hauling bins but most were full of disdain and disinterest.

After what seemed like an eternity in hell, they were done and trooped down to the truck as Fenn finished up business with the Manager. Kid tore off his mask with a great inhale, the stink of the alley like fresh mountain air compared to the job they'd just done. While the others finished packing the truck and stood around waiting for their Team Leader, Kid took the opportunity to walk to the end of the alley. 

Peeking around the corner, he could see the lines of humans and other preter-naturals low on the totem pole, queuing up to enter the club. Soon enough, music started pumping from inside and a small roar of delight came from the waiting crowd. For a moment, Kid imagined himself as one of them, a young man out for a night on the town, laughing with his friends in line. Stomping in the night's chill in nothing but some skimpy yet sexy clubbing outfit and in his pocket, money to burn.

Inside they'd be half giggly from the crazy drinks Oberon was famous for and half awed at all the beautiful people they were surrounded by. Maybe he'd find a smoking hot lycan and wake up the next morning in their bed, sated and aching in all the right places.

He blinked the fantasy away and shook his head for clear the cobwebs. He was about to turn back into the alley when the growl of a deep engine caught his attention. A black 1969 Ford Mustang Boss with shining chrome grill and rims pulled to a stop in front of the club; glass tinted jet black. The crowd grew silent as the door opened and a cloud of blue smoke escaped the cab. 

Out of the smoky cab stepped a stunning woman, her caramel skin pale in the way only a vampire's would be, dressed in a sparkling gold, strapless cocktail dress and matching shoes. Long brunette hair tumbled over her bare shoulders and down he back, long gold earring glinting from in between the curls. The crowd seemed to 'ooh' and 'aah' as she flipped her hair over one shoulder and smirked at the man stepping out after her.

This time even Kid had to gape as one of the most beautiful men he'd ever seen stepped out of the mustang to join her. Black leather pants and a tailored shirt did nothing to hide his incredible body as he offered the woman his elbow. The crowd surged like the bristling of an animal and the bouncers quickly stepped in to keep them in line. 

Even from his position, half way in the alley, Kid could feel the unnatural lure that all vampires seemed to possess. He took a more deep breath, savouring the heady feeling before chuckling softly and pulling back into the shadow of the alley. Adjusting his gear, he took one last glance at the front of the club; and it was then that time seemed to freeze.

The male vampire was staring straight at him, his dark eyes like burning embers against his pale skin. There was a curious tilt to his head making his shoulder length dark hair fall into his face.   
The air grew heady and he could feel his blood pumping through his veins. All he wanted to do in that moment was fall to his knees in worship. Maia, they were strong.

The vampire's full lips tilted up in one corner and he gave Kid a searching look up and down that felt a lot like being undressed. Kid's vision blurred and he sagged against the wall as he tried to catch his breath. Swallowing heavily, he almost took a step forward when someone called his name, sharp and echoing through the alley, breaking the illusion. 

Then, as suddenly as the moment had begun, it was over and the vampires were heading into the club. He blinked rapidly and shook his head, turning back to nod at a concerned looking Chocco. With one last shake of his head, he turned and headed into the alley, pushing the weird experience to the back of his mind. 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------

They'd barely made it back to the SWAMP after their third call out when another came in. Kid groaned and rubbed his aching back and he and Chocco rushed to restock the truck. Priest was looking a bit green about the gills from their last job. 

Some asshole had decided to ship zombies in the back of a semi and had neglected to tell the driver. The poor humie driver had been scared shitless by the banging coming from the back and when he'd opened the doors to investigate, the cargo had had him for a midnight snack. 

The cleanup had been quick but wrangling the undead that had wandered off has proven to be the hard part. Priest had had to be carried back to the truck, his eyes lolling in his head. Chocco had made him gulp down a Monster and a couple of energy bars before he let him get up again.

Bitter was silent as usual but it was a different kind of silent. He'd been so ever since they'd left Oberon but Kid knew better than to ask about it. Bitter never spoke to anyone but Fenn if he even spoke at all. All Kid knew that that he was Fae, that he was older than dirt and that something happened in his past for him to be so … well, bitter. Even Chocco, friendly, gregarious Chocco couldn't pull two words strung together from the Fae. 

This would be their last job for the shift. The sun was just peaking over the horizon.

"Almost quittin' time."

Chocco gave a tired grin and Gun grunted in agreement. Tonight had been a doozy. Kid was too tired to do anything but nod and finish stocking the bleach. Fenn came around to the back of the truck, Bitter and Priest following.

"Last job for the shift…" he checked his clipboard as they all gave weak cheers.

"Lycan scrap-up down at the docks." he finished.

The cheers turned into groans at the words and he smirked. "Wheels out in five. And bring extra sponges. Word is things got a bit … 'squelchy'. "

Kid shuddered, closing his eyes in despair. Lycans were extremely territorial and there were skirmishes at pack borders all the time. Most of them were cleaned up by the packs themselves. If they called in a team then it must have been quite a dust-up. 

The trip down to the docks was about gathering his energy and eating a couple of the bars that taste like cardboard but gave him a boost. The morning light was pale against the huge warehouses as they pull up and they all trooped out the back of the truck and took in the scene.

"Fuck me sideways" Gun grimaced, "it's a fucking slaughter."

Kid couldn't help but agree. Body parts and blood lay strewn over the asphalt lot like some re-enactment of a war movie. There were two men standing near the carnage. Kid recognized them as Ned and Garnet Valentine, leader of the Heartsblood pack with his younger brother and enforcer. He'd seen them on the news several times, their long standing feud with the Golden Arcanus Vampyrim was stuff of tabloid legend.

Garnet had been on the cover of Teen Beat Magazine when Kid was a hormonal teen looking for something to jerk off too and he'd spent many a night under the covers with the dread locked hottie. He was even hotter in person and Kid wished he had energy enough to fully appreciate this moment but frankly, he was just too fucking tired to even ogle.

Pulling on his gloves and securing his boots and mask, he set about the drudgery of following priest around with the rolling bio-hazard bin. A couple of times severed body parts slapped him in the chest before falling into the bin and he wasn't sure if it was from Priest being near exhaustion or if he was just being a dick. 

After that was clean up on the scraps and mush that battle always left behind, shovelfuls of gore that made a sick splat at the bottom of the biohazard bin. After that was a layer of chemical cleaner then a thorough power washing. Kid sat on the tail of the truck and pulled down his mask. He felt sticky and grimy all over and wanted nothing more than to take a hot bath.

He felt an itch between his shoulder blades that told him that someone was watching him. He looked around surreptitiously and found Garnet Valentine staring at him from across the lot. Kid felt a blush creep up his face and quickly looked away. 

By the time he'd convinced himself that it meant nothing and that the younger Valentine had just been looking at something behind him, he heard footsteps.

"I've always been curious about you guys." the lycan's voice was deep and both warmed and chilled Kid to the bone. "… we always hear about The Cleaners in whispers like boogie-men amongst the packs but I've never had the privilege of seeing it firsthand."

Kid ducked his head, not wanting to be caught staring or bothering a client. He quickly stood and shifted in discomfort. 

"We're not The Cleaners…" he shrugged nervously, "… we're just swamp boys. The Cleaners with a capital 'C' are a different division."

The lycan rose one sculpted eyebrow. "Swamp?" his lips twisted in a wry grin. �  
Kid shifted again, flushing. " Er… I mean… the solid waste management patrol. SWAMP for short." 

He glanced at Fenn but the team leader was looking away and Kid breathed a sigh of relief. He edged away from the other man, wincing as he spotted Priest looking his way with interest. He mumbled a quick apology and started to step away. 

"Wait. What's your name?" The darker man smiled and something like want twisted in Kid's gut. 

"uh… Kid." he mumbled, taking another step.

The lycan took a step forward with him. "Kid? Is that your real name? " he laughed.

Kid scowled over his shoulder. "It's the one I got."

With those words he pulled his mask back up and quickly joined Chocco near the power washer. Out of the corner of his mask he could see the dark skinned youth stand there for a while before walking away and gave a sigh of relief. If he'd been caught chatting up the client during working hours, Fenn would have his ass roasting on a spit. 

Even if it was someone who Kid had had a crush on since puberty. Someone who he's jacked off too for many a night. Someone who he'd fantasized about as an imaginary boyfriend who had held him in his arms on the nights when Kid had felt so cold and alone with his Mother couching blood into her handkerchief and his brother whining with hunger and undirected rage.

By the time they were finished, the sun was starting to get hot and both Garnet and Ned had disappeared, leaving only one of the pack members to finish up with Fenn. Even Bitter was exhausted because the truck practically limped back to the swamp. 

End of shift clean up and squaring away seemed to take forever and in the end, Gun took pity on him and gave him a ride home in his orange with black racing stripe 1969 Pontiac Judge. Kid slumped against the leather seats as they made small talk about the Mustang he'd seen earlier that day. 

He dragged his ass up to the apartment and all but fell through the doorway. A cursory check told him that Bobby wasn't home and he managed to choke down a rubbery carrot, standing in front of the open fridge before stripping naked and falling into bed. Things like bathing or even getting under the covers would have to wait. Within one breath to the next, he was dead to the world.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for panic attacks and attempted sexual assault. Priest is such an asshole.

Kid looked at his ATM balance with a baleful glare. He didn't even know the amount could go down to pennies. His stomach gurgled but he steadfastly ignored it. Bobby had eaten the last of the groceries sometime in the hours that he'd been stone cold asleep in his single bed.

He'd woken up with an empty fridge and little more than a pinch of coffee in the tin. He'd carefully knocked the last grains into a mug of microwaved water and had gulped down the weak brew with a pinched face.

At least he was getting paid today, that would be a welcome relief. He'd be able to get some food for the apartment… among other obligations, of course. Until then he'd have to survive on samples at the local save-mart and ketchup packets from MacDonald's. 

There was a sample give-away of some sort of sour candy dust at the 7-11 and he palmed three packets when the clerk was distracted; so by the time he got to the SWAMP he was jittery and had a headache coming on. 

Chocco earned his eternal love and loyalty by throwing a home-made gyro at him and he moaned his way wantonly through the juicy chunks of lamb. 

"You know that you're massacring innocent baby lamb carcass right now" Gun made a face at the juice running down Kid's chin. "Does little Bo-peep know what you've done?"

Kid shrugged, stuffing the last of the wrap into his mouth and chewed obscenely, cheeks bulging with food.

Priest shook his head at the sight "Disgusting"

Kid swallowed the last of it, licking lamb juice from his lips and fingers.

"Bitch can't keep an eye on her sheep. Her loss."

He looked over at Chocco, who was wiping his own fingers on a paper towel. "Tell your Mom I'll dance at her wedding."

The large man laughed, "Knowing my Ma, she'll find another sucker to marry soon enough. She keeps hooking them in, pops out a baby for them and tosses them aside. I've had more fathers than the clergy. She says they keep her young. I think she just like weddings and since she only had one girl from eleven boys, the only wedding she can plan is her own."

One by one the rest of the team trickled in. No calls had come in which is not strange in itself but it was still rare that all the teams were at the SWAMP for such a period. Gus rolled under the truck to check out what damage Bitter would have done to it.

Chocco was pushing the bins one by one through the monster of a decontamination unit that took up almost an entire wall of the SWAMP and screeched and screamed as it spit out noxious smoke through a small chimney in the roof. 

Fenn sent Kid up to Stores to replenish the more delicate components of their stock and he'd grabbed a dolly and made his way through the long cavernous aisles of the candy land that was Stores. 

He whistled as he walked, checking items of his list as he plucked them off the shelves. His stomach was full ad he wasn't knee deep in muck so he was pretty much as happy as a pig in metaphorical shit. 

As opposed to literal shit because been there, done that. Burned the fucking t-shirt.

The lights flickered above him but he paid it no mind. The SWAMP wasn't exactly one of SWMCOL's newest installations. Most of the place was held together by patchwork and the sticky, decaying corpses of broken dreams. 

The lights flickered again and he glanced up at the overhead lamp. They flickered again and then went out with soft ticking sound. He'd blinked in the sudden darkness and put down the box he'd been holding. 

In the breath it took him to realize that all the lights had gone out, a body slammed against his; pining him to the metal shelves that filled the space. He struggled, his back and arms aching from where they'd beaten against the ratcheted shelving. 

Something knocked his head against the metal and he saw stars. His feet were out from under him and he was left dangling awkwardly, his shoes scuffing the floors as he tried to find his footing once more.

There was a sharp pain near his jugular ad the smell of burnt magic. 

"Be still now little Imp." was whispered in his ear.

He struggled anew against the tight hold and the pain in his neck flared.

"Priest? What the fuck man? Are you crazy?"

Priest's arms were like iron bands around his chest, constricting his breath. Black flowers bloomed in the corners of his eyes. The darker man chuckled maliciously, his breath scraping hot across Kid's throat. 

"Now, now little Imp…be quiet now. We don't want the others to coms running now don't we?"

Kid bared his teeth. "Is that the royal we or have you developed multiple personality disorder and never told us?"

He cried out softly as Priest bit down on the joint between his neck and shoulder. Not enough to draw blood but enough to leave a ugly bruise tomorrow. 

"So much mouth on you imp. Such a talented tongue wasted. There are much more pressing things that you could do with that quick tongue."

Kid shuddered as Priest licked a hot stripe over the bite mark. 

"You think that the others could try to stop me if I really wanted to take you. That they would even try? Would they even want too? I see you hiding behind them, aiming your pitiful words at me. It is like the pathetic mewling of a weak and helpless kitten. It just makes me want to put you in a sack and drown you or crush your delicate skull under my heel."

Kid blinked back the stinging in his eyes, making one last attempt to struggle. 

"They'd fire you." he rasped out, a single hot tear burning a track down his cheek, " iz'n the rules." 

Priest laughed like rusted nails scraping, his magic heavy in the air and in Kid's nose and eyes. 

"There is a rule against killing a fellow employee but who said anything about killing you? Where would be the fun in that for me? No, I have something more than that planned for you Imp. Maybe I should make you one of my chattel. I need new flesh for the stables, after I've had my way of course. Or maybe I could give the others a treat and let them feast upon your flesh, your hot blood hissing against the cold stone of the courtyard as they tear you apart."

He licked behind the curl of Kid's ear. 

"Either way, you would be a tasty morsel."

A loud bang shattered the silence. It was the large sliding door that led into Stores. The arms around him vanished and he fell heavily to the floor, sobbing for air as he curled himself into a ball. Only his harsh, watery breaths could be heard as the lights came back on one by one until the corridor was fully lit once again.

When the overwhelming fear finally loosened its unnatural and crushing grip on his heart, he pushed himself into a sitting position and hugged his knees to his chest. 

Forcing himself into counting his breaths to avoid a panic attack, he steadfastly ignored the tears leaking from his eyes.

Holy fucking fuck.

For real. Holy. Fucking. Fuck.


	6. Chapter 6

He coughed harshly and spit, fumbling at the small metal handle until the toilet flushed. The light thrown by the bulbs in the cracked and humming ballasts were bright and brutally honest as they reflected off his pale skin. 

The bruises were already blossoming across his arms and neck, in stark relief against this sallow complexion. His freckles had darkened from a wishful, sun kissed brown to a moon scorched black like blots of ink on a thin parchment.

The bite mark looked just like a brand and burned as such. With trembling fingers and lips, he poked at it carefully, his bitten raw nails scraping feebly against the tender flesh. Wincing, he felt at the flesh around the bite and blinked back hot, shameful tears. 

What the fuck was he going to do about this? He couldn't report it, could he? SWMCOL had a firm stance on violence against employees. The job was a hard one and it was difficult for the company to find workers who could stick it out. 

Clients were actively ad quite enthusiastically discouraged from harming the SWAMP employees. People who were too afraid to work was not at all good for the bottom line.

On the other hand, employee on employee harassment was a grey area. It was mainly left up to the team leaders to handle and Fenn didn't really care if Priest jabbed at Kid once in a while as long as the team's success rating didn't suffer.

He quickly pulled his clothes back into some semblance of order and bent down to splash cold water on his face. He hoped it would reduce the puffiness under his eyes and bring some colour back into his face. 

When he straightened up again there was a shadow in the corner of his eye and he jumped, gripping the sink with a sharp gasp as he half spun. Bitter stood just inside the door to the washroom, silent and staring as Kid tried to slow his racing heart.

"Hey , Man…" Kid's voice broke a bit in the midst of his forced cheerfulness, a mockery of a smile pulled across his face. He couldn't think of anything else to say and it left the silence hanging between them, heavy and cold.

He turned back toward the mirror and pulled his collar up some more, his face flushing and turning splotchy as he realized that the bite mark had been visible to the sharp eyed fae.

He ducked his head and all but scuttled out of the room, making his way back to Stores with his head in a daze. He felt wrapped in cotton wool, numb, with a droning sound in his ears that drowned out most of the background noise of the SWAMP. 

He forced himself to collect the rest of the items on the list, thankful that there were only a couple of items left. He didn't want Fenn taking him to task about why he hadn't completed his assignment.

He had no idea how he got through the rest of his shift, things blurring together as he kept his head down and did his job, tensing every time a smug looking Priest walked by or reached above Kid's shoulder to grab something out of nowhere. 

He barely noticed Bitter's long stares or Chocco's concerned looks. All of Gun's attempts at conversation fell flat before Kid's distracted silence. Even Fenn, when handing Kid his pay, arched a curious brow. 

Waving off the offer of a ride from Gun, Kid hopped the train home, the early morning hour giving him a car all to himself. He counted the cash, separating a large portion of it and separating the balance into rent, groceries etc.

He pulled his hood up and pulled his backpack close as he made his way home, walking swiftly through the early morning streets. He took the steps up to the apartment in twos and threes, wanting nothing more than to scrub himself raw in the shower and hide under the covers from the world, even if only for a day.

He was surprised at the sight that greeted him when he opened the door. Bobby was sitting up straight on the ratty old couch, left leg shaking like it always did when he was nervous. His eyes were sober and bright with anxiousness, the reason which was sitting in the old armchair as if it were a throne.

"Aisatsu Inpu-kun" 

The humongous man that accompanied the deep, heavily Japanese-accented voice strained the old chair almost to its breaking point. It creaked and cracked under his weight as he brought the lot cigar up to his thin lips and puffed.

His fingers were abnormally thick and betrayed the Oni blood in him. The sheer size and muscle on him betrayed his troll blood. That odd combination made for a short temper and lightning quick and devastating fists. He had two bodyguards lurking behind him, though he really didn't need them; their designer black suits and shiny shoes matching his bespoke burgundy number.

"Greetings Nobu-san." Kid replied, bowing low and slowly walking over to the couch where his brother sat, glancing between them. "How is Tanuki-Sama this fine evening? Usually he just sends a runner for his usual discharge."

Nobu nodded benignly. "That is correct Inpu-san, but the Master has sent you and your brother a message on this occasion ad asked me to be the one to bear it to you both."

Kid sat gingerly on the edge of the couch next to his brother and placed a steady hand on his shaking leg. He tried to push everything else out of his headspace. Dealing with the Kazoku Rakūn needed all of his concentration. 

"I thought the agreement was to leave my brother out of this. That I would be the one to shoulder the responsibility of the reparations. "

Kid said calmly, tightening his grip just a bit on his brother's tensing knee. He could see Bobby staring at him in surprise at that tidbit but he couldn't stop to explain that now.

Nobu-san nodded sagely. "That is true but Tanuki-sama is ever wise and merciful and he felt that as the news affects the both of you equally, that you both be preset when it is delivered."

Kid swallowed painfully and nodded his acquiescence, Bobby's fingers finding his and tangling together. Nobu gestured and one of the guards stepped forward with a small scroll. He bowed slightly and handed the scroll to Kid, who took it gingerly. It was sealed with dark green wax and embossed with a stylized raccoon, the symbol of Tanuki-Sama and the Kazoku Rakūn.

He traced his fingers across the seal but didn't break it. He was afraid of what it would say. Before he could gather up the courage, Nobu spoke.

"Tanuki-Sama respects those who would put honour and sacrifice for family above all else, including one's own self. Thus he has decided to grant this mercy of informing you of the change in your debt to his noble personage."

Alarm bells clanged in Kid's head. "Change? What kind of change?"

"The Most Venerable Tanuki-Sama has chosen to join with his brethren on the higher plane, leaving his brother Apoumu to head the Kazoku while he is gone. In his journey to clear his earthly business, he has decided to clear all of the debts owed to him."

Kid's voice is barely a whisper. "What exactly does that mean?"

Bobby's fingers gripping his own tight enough to feel the bones grinding. He had to keep a calm head. He couldn't freak out even though a clawing fear was creeping up his throat.

"The Master remembers you in his fond musings, little Inpu and offers you the opportunity to purchase this debt from him at a reduced price."

Bobby started to protest at the news but Kid was quick to talk over him. "What kind of price are we talking about here?"

Nobu smiled, "Thirty thousand." 

This time Bobby spoke first. "Are you kidding me man. That's more than what we owe now."

Kid shushed him harshly and for once, Bobby quieted and slouched back against the couch; his blue eyes shining with impotent rage.

"He's right though… that's more than we owe right now. We've always kept up our part of the bargain. We've never missed a payment."

"Tanuki -sama understands and appreciates this."

"Then surely you can…."

The large man gave a sharp shake of his head.

"Nobu don't make rules. Nobu break knees."

Bobby's knee froze for a second before shaking worse than before.

Kid nods slowly. "Okay. How long do we have to make a decision on this?"

"This most generous off from Tanuki-sama terminates when I walk out of this place."

Bobby made a wounded sound. "That's not fair. We don't have that kind of money." he turned to look at Kid with frightened eyes.

Kid felt cold as he nodded his understanding, not being able to force words of agreement past his numbed tongue. He stared, unblinking, at the scroll as Nobu hefted his bulk out of the chair, the furniture groaning in protest.

He kept staring as the men left the room, closing the door gently behind them as if in apology. Bobby was pacing the living room, cursing up a storm. Kid let his head sink into his hands as his brother flopped unto the couch beside him with a deep and sorrowful sigh. He turned to Kid and grabbed the edge of his hoodie like he used to when he was a child.

"We're fucked aren't we?" 

Kid nodded, to numb to even blink back the tears gathering in his palms.

Yes, yes they were.


	7. Chapter 7

Bobby paced the kitchen restlessly before sitting in one of the old chairs. His butt had touched the seat for less than ten seconds before he was up and making another agitated round of the small kitchen. 

Kid followed his movements out of the corner of his eye, forcing himself to eat the dry naan bread his Bobby had brought home from the nearby Indian place. He pushed the bowl of curry towards his brother, watching silently as the younger man stood at the sink and scarfed down the rest of the leftovers hungrily.

He sipped at the mug of weak tea he'd brewed from a used tea bag, this brand was always good for a couple of uses, this would be the last use though because it was barely more than flavoured hot water. It didn't really matter because he couldn't taste anything but ash on his tongue anyway.

Bobby made quick work of the disposable containers, but more out of nervous energy than a need to see the mess cleared away. He even took the mug from Kid when he'd finished the tea, flipping the old bag into the bin and washing the mug. He slid into the chair opposite Kid with his hands folded together, his face solemn.

Kid pelt a pang of emotion. Bobby looked just like their mother when he did that. Kid missed her so much. He would always love her for her kindness and would always hate her for landing them in this mess.

"What happens now?" Bobby asked softly, "What becomes of us now?"

Kid ran his fingers through his hair and leaned forward unto his elbows. 

"Tanuki-sama has decided to clear out all his debts."

Bobby frowned, "What does that mean 'clear out' ? There is no way that we can pay thirty grand. Is he just gonna come and take it another way? Is he gonna come kill us? That big fuckers talked about breaking knees man!"

Kid shook his head. "Nah. He's going to sell the marker." 

"So… I guess we just start paying whoever buys it then?"

Kid paused and looked at his brother. For all the growing up his little brother had been forced to do, he was still naive in certain things. 

"It's not that simple. Tanuki-sama has been very generous to us over the years. No, hear me out Bobby. The day mom stole from him, she signed a death warrant on us. She believed that she would be the only one to be punished and, with her death; the debt would be satisfied. She was dying anyway, what would a few weeks matter."

He sat back in his chair and let his head fall back, closing his eyes against the bright light. 

"What she didn't understand was that her transgression that she was speaking for her entire family line. Her death meant that the debt just got passed on to you and me. Tanuki-sama basically owned our lives."

"So Raccoon Boss could have killed us and considered the debt paid?" 

Kid nodded, "He granted us a great favour because of how many years mom had worked for him. What respect he had for her is what made him give us a different way to clear the debt. Instead of our lives , we paid back the debt in cash." 

"Some favour. You working yourself to death and me working the streets. Some lives we're living."

Kid gave in to the urge to sigh. "He could of asked us for much more than we did. By my calculations, another year of this and we would have been paid up. I don't know what's going to happen now. Whoever buys the debt will determine how its paid and by whom. All we can do is wait and see." 

Bobby looked up at him through his fringe. "So it’s a fucking Sword of Damocles type situation then."

Kid nodded. "Basically yeah."

Bobby shook his head and grabbed his jacket, slamming out of the apartment without another word.

Kid dragged himself to bed, crawling under the covers fully clothed. He felt exhausted beyond belief and curled himself into the blankets with a whimper. 

It was a long time before sleep came.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Their first job of the shift was the aftermath of a troll feast. Luckily this kind stuck to animals only because if Kid had to scrape human body parts off the eating circle in his current emotional state, he would lose his fucking mind. 

The smell of blood and slaughter hung in the air and permeated even through the heavy face masks and when the breeze changed direction, the entire team gagged off the smell of the meat packing district. One of the lower totem trolls hung around in the shadow of the feasting room, it's eyes a swirl of red and it's horns short and stumpy, belaying its youth. 

There were few carvings on its skin and horns and the lack of bullring in its broad nose showed that it hadn't gone through its adulthood ceremony yet. It half grunted broken English to Fenn when the job was over and waved good bye with a grin full of sharp jagged incisors and broad molars that could crush bones to mulch.

Their next two jobs were small personal jobs, one was out in the suburbs. A local coven of Stepford wife looking women with soccer mom vibes and hyper 2.3 children needed a clean-up of a successful moon ritual. Their eyes were bright with power and their smiles and hairstyles were #plastic and eerily similar.

The second job was at the cottage of a necromancer. Kid had walked in expecting to see dead bodies but it turned out to be just a run of the mill cleaning job. The necromancer, a scrawny middle aged man with a benign smile, just wanted to clean out his crowded basement without anyone freaking out over his line of work. And the dead gardeners he had working in his back yard. Apparently the animated dead could landscape without like they were unborn to it but had poor hand eye co-ordination when it came to boxes of grandma's stemware. 

An emergency call brought them to a downtown high rise, a swanky place with a fully kitted out doorman and elevator caddy. The beautiful, buxom brunette greeted them in a half open robe and a glass of red wine. She pointed at the bed room where the body of her lover lay, his flesh dried out and grey from an overzealous succubus feeding. 

His bones and skin crackled as they fold him up in order to fit him in a jumbo garbage bag. Gun made a face as Chocco stuffed the bag into a large yellow bin, hitting the lumpy bag a few times to get it to fit. The succubus tried to flirt with Priest as most women were wont to do but the houngan showed no interest whatsoever. Fenn had to step in with the charismatic charm he pulled out only for clients and had her smiling by the time they were done.

By the time they got back to the SWAMP, Kid was riding a nice little wave of endorphins from all the physical labour. He and Chooco set about their duties of re-stocking the truck, aware that another job could come in at any moment. Priest and Bitter were on disposal, carting the garbage to the large incinerator. Gun was doing a quick check up of the equipment while Fenn was filing his paperwork with dispatch.

Suddenly, a hush fell over the Bays, making Kid look up from his work. Chocco made an impressed sound under his breath and signaled quickly to Fenn. Fenn frowned and followed the gesture and gazed down into the bay pit. His eyes bugged out at the sight and gripped the rails until his knuckles whitened. 

A man and a woman stood in the centre of the bays, sharp in their tailored, black suits, sensible shoes and expensive watches. The woman was dark skinned and buxom with a generous mouth made for smiling. The man was shorter and of Indian decent with a full black head of hair, slicked back in soft waves. They were handsome and looked a lot less dangerous than they most likely were. 

In perfect synchronicity, they up the metal grate stairs bypassing Dispatch deftly and made their way up to the night manager's office door. Kid could only gape in amazement as the door opened without a touch and they disappeared inside. Kid looked at Chocco who was staring as Fenn hurried down the stairs and strode into the bay as if on a mission.

The other teams seemed to get over their surprise as well because the ambient noise swelled for a while before dipping back to normal background levels. The eyes glued to the night manager's door gradually fell away pair by pair as the door failed to reopen.

Fenn and Gun fell into deep conversation near the entrance to the bay to team four, no doubt Fenn grilling the mechanic on any information on the two Cleaners they'd just witnessed. Kid got back to re-stocking the truck, heading over to the work table to scrape some crud from one of the finer tools. He tensed as someone stepped behind him, crouching into himself as Priest reached next to his arm for something or the other, a smug smile on his handsome face. 

Kid's heart pounded in his chest as he tried to pretend that nothing was wrong, all the while way to aware of how close the other man was. A loud thump on the other side of him made him jump, his back and shoulder falling against Priest's broad chest. He flinched away from the grinning man as if scalded, turning his head to see Bitter at the other end of the table.

In his hands rested one of the heavy contraptions used stripping metal surfaces, his bright eyes staring at Kid and Priest both without blinking. After a few seconds, Priest's grin faltered and he scowled at the Fae before stalking away. Only after the houngan had made it to the other side of the bay, did Bitter look down at the contraption and start taking it apart. 

Kid concentrated on breathing until his heart slowed down, clenching his fists in his lap until they stopped trembling. He got back to work, a whispered 'thank you' almost lost amongst the noise of machinery. The Fae's only response was a brief glance in his direction before once again getting back to work.


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

Kid had just finished cleaning out the last of the debris from his kit when Fenn cleared his throat behind him, loudly. As he swept the last of the candy wrappers, broken cotton swabs and cracker crumbs into the garbage, tipping the loose coins into his pocket, he squinted up as his boss who stood silhouetted by the bright lights of the bay.

 

Kid stood, dusting off his hands and adjusting overalls, then froze in an awkward half crouch. Standing behind his scowling boss, were the two Cleaners from earlier; both of staring looking at Kid as if he was a bug under a microscope.

 

He quickly straightened up, almost stumbling over his own feet as he scrambled to stand at attention before them. Fenn's scowl deepened at Kid's clumsiness, folding his arms across his chest and tilted his head just so.

 

The move always made Kid feel two inches tall. He ducked his head reflexively, lowering his gaze and hunching his shoulders before made himself straighten up again.

 

"Uh… Yessir Boss… sir?" Kid flushed, his eyes darting between the team lead and the visitors before settling on a spot just over Fenn's shoulder.

 

The older man opened his mouth to speak when the female Cleaner beat him to it.

 

"You the Kid who used to work at Archives? Team Four's Paper man?"

 

Her voice was deep and smiling even though her mouth was not. Kidd glanced at Fenn before nodding. If Fenn's scowl could have gotten deeper, his face would have folded in on itself.

 

"Yes" he added verbally because offending the highers-up by being rude was not the way he wanted to go out.

 

The male Cleaner scoffed with a smirk "This is the one they called the best in the business? He's a toddler."

 

Kid's eyes bugged out. The best? Who was this they? Surely 'they' couldn't mean those assholes back at the City Archives. No one there had ever showed interest in the poor grubs that worked the stacks beyond grinding through the dead boring piles of work plopped on their desks each day.

 

His confused face must have amused them because the female's lips twitched at the corners.

 

"You come highly recommended, Kid." she stressed his name, "Grantham doesn't make recommendations lightly."

 

Kid gaped for a another second before schooling his face. Grantham? That crotchety, mean hobgoblin who was older than dirt and just as hard-packed; with his bottle glasses, his many warts and coarse, grey hair that stuck out of his bulbous ears and nose.

 

In the year Kid had worked there, the Head Archiver had barely deigned to look at him more than ten seconds combined much less know exactly what kind of skill level Kid possessed.

 

His immediate supervisor, a Baba Yaga looking old hag who hopped around on an armchair held up by a chicken leg, named Gladys always went out her way to make Kid feel like a bumbling fool; working him harder than the others on increasingly difficult assignments. Turns out her malicious vindictiveness had only served Kid to his benefit.

 

Kid glanced over Fenn's shoulder to see the rest of the team in a cluster, outright staring at their little pow wow. Flailing internally, he gathered his scattered wits about him.

 

"Thank you Sir… Ma'am… Sirs. What can I do for you?"

 

The Male Cleaner arched one eyebrow. "You've been seconded to the Cleaners for a special job. It starts now and ends when we say it does. Get your gear and come with us. We have a car waiting."

 

"Now see here…" Fenn lifted a hand in protest, "… You can't just leave me a man short for God knows how long…."

 

Both Cleaners glared, irritation shining in their eyes. "We've been through this. You have your orders Leader Four. You could always apply for a sub but, honestly, by the time it gets through processing, your boy should be back."

 

Fenn's teeth shut with a click and he leveled a glare at Kid so hot the skin on his freckled face felt like it was about to blister. In silence, Kid quickly grabbed his gear, zipped up his suit, buckled on his belt and with a last look at the team, got ready to go.

 

Chocco gave him a reassuring nod while Gun gave a thumbs up sign. Priest looked intrigued while Bitter just stared. Fenn looked like Mount Vesuvius to Kid's Pompeii and he made sure to hedge well around the fuming team lead on his way out of the bay.

 

What teams that hadn't been called out already all came out to the entrances of their own bays to rubberneck shamelessly. Kid shifted his grip on his tool case nervously and hurried his steps to keep up with the sweeping strides of the Cleaners.

 

A black Lincoln Town Car awaited them outside and they ushered Kid into the back seat as they both slid into the front. Kid kept his tool kit on his lap, not wanting to smudge the luxurious leather interior.

 

It felt like heaven and smelled just as good. Glancing at the front seat, he took a second to wiggle his ass into the soft upholstery, biting his lip to stifle a grin.

 

He glanced up at the front once again only to jump when his met eyes with the female Cleaner in the rearview mirror. She smiled and it was sharp and slightly predatory.

 

"I'm Wolf…" She turned to watch him out of the corner of her eye. She gestured to the driver. "… this is Tiger. We will be your liaisons for this assignment."

 

Tiger barely glanced at the mirror, his gaze full of barely disguised scorn. "We are not baby sitters. We are not here to hold your hand. You fuck up with the client and they will fuck you up. If somehow you survive, we will fuck you up for making SWMCOL look bad."

 

His eyes burned with a inner fire in the mirror, his accent exotic and deadly. "So don't fuck it up."

 

Kid gulped and nodded, feeling almost like a bobble-head.

 

"Sir, yes sir."

 

Wolf chuckled, low and almost growling. "Now, Now boys, play nice."

 

She shifted to hand Kid a cell phone. It was a cheap throwaway smart phone with a tacky, bright blue, Elsa phone case. Kid turned it over and over in his hands before powering it on.

 

The ringtone was in midi and he made a face. Where did they even get a smartphone with this kind of dinosaur sound. It even played 'Let it go." Surely Kid was in some special kind of hell.

 

"Keep that phone on you at all times. We need to be able to call o you 24/7. the client will also have that number. You will answer ALL calls. There's a number coded into speed dial one. That's us. Only call us in a dire emergency. Like the Apocalypse or Ragnarok level,"

 

Tiger nodded. "We are not a glorified taxi service. We are not Uber or Lyft so if you call us for a pick up, we will stuff your ruddy carcass in the boot and throw you in the river in a chained up rucksack, do you understand?"

 

Wolf barked a laugh. "Easy there Tiger, don't get your British up."

 

Tiger rolled his eyes, "it's funny how you can make jokes of both your imperialist and colonial histories and…"

 

Wolf groaned and shifted back to face front. "Don't start that shit again."

 

Tiger shook his head and pursed his lips. "if you would only read the pamphlets I leave you…"

 

Wolf let her head fall back unto the headrest and gave a pained moan. "You make me want to gnaw my own arm off when you get going. Not someone else's arm… my own. That's fucked up I hope you know."

 

Kid followed the banter like a tennis match, keeping himself still and small lest he attract their attention. The car pulled up to a familiar building, the thump thump of hypnotic base pulsing through the car and Kid's bones.

 

Oberon.

 

He scrambled out of the car as Tiger opened the door and followed the two passed the long line of jealous stares and stone-faced bouncers. The large painted doors opened as if by magic and they probably were.

 

The black light pulsing through the main room washed the club patrons, eyes, lips and fangs flashing under the strobe. Bejeweled elves held court in the tiered VIP sections as all manner of creature and man writhed on the dance floor.

 

Sweaty bodies in close quarters, the heavy, heady scent of sex ad magic in the air. Vampire fangs; wolven eyes glowing red, blue and gold; the glimmer of fairy skin; the carved runes of troll horns; the shockingly white hair of banshees; the heavily pierced bodies of the stone warlocks; the mesmerizing tattooed skin of the elemental mages; they all washed over Kid as he tried to follow the black suits in front of him.

 

He got a face full of Bliss and stumbled, frantically wiping the fine gold powder from his nose and mouth. He yanked out an inhaler from his belt and gave himself a quick puff and a deep inhale.

 

Upon being assigned to a team, insta-healers were issued to every SWAMP employee for use in case of exposure to poison but they worked just as well against narcotics. They were expensive and hard to come by though so Kid only used his sparingly.

 

The gold haze that had been creeping into the corners of his mind receded rapidly and he scraped against the film on his tongue with his teeth. Maia, that shit tasted awful. He guessed that Bliss users were probably too strung out on pure joy to even realize how god-awful the stuff was.

 

The club manager Melandrach met them at a nondescript door, which led to a small dark corridor lined with striped grey silk because apparently for the high elves, even dark creepy corridors were impeccably decorated.

 

Forget the red velvet lounge, forget the stone room with the skylight. They take an exquisitely wood paneled elevator up to a finely tricked out living space. Tasteful furniture done in warm ivory and gold; carved wood inlays and green, so much greenery  in plants, paintings and patina'd elaborate carvings.

 

A stone corridor led to a large set of double doors with an immense and detailed forest etched on its face. The elf pushed the doors open without a sound, the massive slabs of solid oak swinging easily as if on some kind of counter balance.

 

Beyond it lay a book lover's dream; a massive library that would make any bibliophile falls to their knees and weep.  His gaze went up and up and up the six stories of tiered balconies, lined with books, scrolls and other documents.

 

The top level was lined with foliage, a massive stained glass skylight showing the sun, moon and constellations that swirled by some kind of magic. Staircases curled and snaked around each level with small reading nooks filled with desks and comfy chairs that sat  just below round porthole windows.

 

"By Seshat's spots." Kid breathed as he did a complete turn, trying to see all he could so that he could go over his memories later.

 

"I see you still ascribe to the old gods." Melandrach spoke for the first time that night, an elegant silver, diamond studded eyebrow arched.

 

Kid flushed and shifted his weight under the scrutiny from the high elf. Emboldened by such a beautiful place, he looked up at the elf and gave a small smile.

 

"I just appreciate strong, sexy women who appreciate books."

 

A hearty laugh sounded from by the door, tinkling and delightful like all elfish laughter was. A blonde elf dressed in bartender's clothes pushed himself from his lean against the door jamb ad ambled towards hem. He was beautiful as elves were beautiful but there was a bit of human fragility in his face.

 

"I always thought that she got shafted when they reduced her to Thoth's consort. She deserved better."

 

Kid forgot himself for a moment and grinned.

 

"Those of us who keep the old ways, remember her legacy."

 

The blonde grinned back, his white teeth gleaming as much as the platinum bars in his pointed ears and nose. His white fitted shirt was folded up to the elbows and his black pants and vest were pressed to perfection.

 

"Ralikanthae…" Melandrach's voice dripped with fond exasperation. "… must you always be so … common?"

 

"Rawley, please" the blonde smiled widely, looking at Kid alone. "… and you know me Melly. I like to get down with the indigenous population. A little mix and mingle between the races."

 

Kid blinked, his cheek pinking at the overt flirting. The elf was way too hot to be even close to his league but a Kid could dream right?

 

Melandrach pursed his thin lips. "You know I hate that infernal nickname, Ralikanthae."

 

The blonde's lips twitched down for a second. "As long as you keep calling me by my praenomen, I will keep with the pet names. I like to come up with new ones whenever I get glass washing duty, the singing of the glasses help me concentrate and really sparks my creativity."

 

Kid had to swallow a small huff of laugher because he'd ever seen high elves act so… human before. He wasn't as successful as he'd though in suppressing because both elves turned to look at him. He flushed and gave a helpless shrug.

 

Wolf stepped forward and handed the manager a small tablet and stylus which he promptly signed and handed back. The cleaner looked over the document and nodded to her partner.

 

"He's all yours."

 

She told the elves and with a last look at Kid, the cleaners left. Kid looked after them in disbelief. Talk about sink or swim with these guys. Sheesh.

 

"Let's get you settled in then, shall we?"

 

Ralikanthae… uh… Rawley turned that megawatt smile back to Kid and emboldened, Kid smiled back.

 

Melandrach glanced between them both and sneered.

 

"This is going to be so not fun. I can tell."

 

 


	9. Chapter 9

 

They stood around looking at each other in awkward silence for a few seconds before Kid's fidgeting made Melandrach twitch and pull in a sharp inhale through his pierced nose.

 

"This way." he tilted his head, "Let me show you the reason you were summoned."

 

The silver haired elf gave Rawley an indecipherable look and the blonde elf nodded and fell into step behind them as the left heaven's library. They led him to a well-appointed office beyond, a simple yet tasteful room with a large dark stained antique desk that stood bare and chair less  in the middle of a plush cream area rug.

 

The intricately carved  legs ended in large avian claws which gripped a perfect sphere. A closer look at the carvings along the sides revealed rampaging harpies descending on and ripping apart their hapless victims.

 

Upon the shiny dark wood, bare of anything else, lay a large tome wrapped in a swath of red velvet. Kid carefully placed his kit on the ground next to the table and began digging around in his pockets for a pair of his lambskin gloves.

 

He tugged them on, circling the desk as he looked at the swathed book carefully. The two elves watched him like hawks from the corner of the room as he slowly stepped towards the bundle and tentatively lifted the edge of the cloth, laying it to one side before reaching for another.

 

"Any spells on the cover?" Kid glanced up at the elves. "Any curses to look out for?"

 

The silver elf shook his head minutely, absently playing with one of the rings on his slender fingers; turning it around and around. He seemed to avoid looking at the wrapped parcel directly, his silver eyes glinting in the half shadow of the corner in which he and the blonde stood.

 

Rawley was leaning against a bookshelf, muscular arms folded across his broad chest; his white shirt pulling in all the right places. He too was making sure not to look directly at the velvet wrapped tome.

 

"Nothing you couldn't handle, I'm sure."

 

Kid gave him an unimpressed look, already falling into his work mindset. He lifted the other side of the cloth and pulled back with a small inhale.  The book was old, really old. The writing was almost completely fade but any grunt in the paper business knew this book from the golden wings inlaid on the cover. Kid stopped breathing as his eyes gazed at the unnervingly realistic looking gold dragon that stretched along the fat spine of the book.

 

"Galdrabók" he finally exhaled.

 

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Rawley elbowing Melandrach in the arm and the silver elf scowling at the offending limb then up at its owner. The blonde elf was grinning at Kid, still seemingly unable to look directly at the book.

 

Kid took a step back to calm himself down and breathe, stubbornly pulling his eyes away from something he'd thought was ancient myth a few seconds ago. He turned to his kit, pulling out his face mask, his safety glasses and a small case of cotton swabs and a vial of liquid.

 

Placing them gently to the side, he lifted the remaining velvet, revealing the book in its entirety. The sound of his own breathing was loud under the mask as he examined all around the artifact. There was a purple stain along one corner, going down several pages and one of the corners. He leaned forward and examined it more closely. He sniffed delicately and did so again, making a face.

 

He straightened up and gave the elves a look of pure incredulity.

 

"Wait a minute … that smells like… it can't be…. Is that fucking kool-aid?"

 

Giving a deep sigh, the silver elf nodded solemnly. "It is."

 

Kid's face twisted under the mask. He shook his head in denial. "No."

 

Rawley pushed off from his sexy lean and smirked. "Yeah."

 

Kid looked back at the priceless book and its corner stained with cheap coloured sugar water then back at the totally serious elves. This couldn't be some kind of joke. No one would dare to pull a joke like this, especially with something worth this much.

 

"Huh," he bit his lip in contemplation. "Was it painful?"

 

"Painful to witness? Yes." Melandrach growled low, rolling his neck with restrained fury.

 

Kid shook his head. "No, I mean, whoever did this… was their death painful? Tell me it wasn't quick, please. No one who does this should deserve mercy."

 

Both elves blinked at him before Rawley guffawed, holding his stomach as he laughed. Bells tinkled somewhere in between the notes of his humour and Kid could just imagine the little golden bulbs dancing around his blonde head.

 

"I like this one. I told you he would understand." He soon calmed down enough to say, "We're in good hands with this one. He knows the true value of what lies before him."

 

"That remains to be seen." Melandrach replied, "I'm leaving you to keep an eye on him. This one is your responsibility Ralikanthae. You said you wanted greater duties, this is your chance to prove yourself. "

 

He walked to the door, turning back to look at Kid. "To answer your question. Yes, their death was suitably prolonged and extremely painful. I believe your very team was hired to deal with the aftermath."

 

Kid thought back to the last time he was at Oberon and the stone room. Yeesh. The elf seemed satisfied with the distaste on Kid's face and left with a smirk. Rawley looked at the closed door for a few seconds then turned to smile at Kid. By far, he was the smiley-est elf Kid had ever met and he could help but smile back.

 

"So … ?" Rawley sidled up to Kid's side and sent a fleeting glance across the table and the book before keeping his gaze on Kid's face. " … what now?"

 

Kid nodded, "Seems like I have a job to do and you have a test to pass."

 

He looked at the book once more and tried to calm his nerve. He'd never worked on something so precious before. If he fucked this up, it would be his dried and crusty body parts his team would be scraping from the walls. He turned to a equally nervous looking Elf.

 

"Do you have an expense account?"

 

Rawley blinked at him and then shrugged. "I should. I'll find out."

 

Kid raised an eyebrow. Rawley seemed rather unprepared compared to how elf's were usually known to act and speak in the outside world.

 

"Do that, " He mentally tallied all the things he would need to get this job done. It quickly went into five figure cost for some of the more sensitive equipment. He usually balked at spending so much money but he figured that in order to save this one of a kind book, valued way beyond price; the high elves would be willing to put in a hell of a lot of dough. He finally looked back at the blonde elf.

 

"I'm going to need a few things."

 

 

…………………………………………………………………………………………

 

Most of that first night was spent studying the book, running small non-invasive tests on the pages and cover and prepping the room. He had Rawley playing fetch and carry as he set up a mini clean room inside the office assigned to them. Spreading plastic on the floor, carefully wrapping the desk in plastic while the book lay, rewrapped in its velvet, in a special trunk Melandrach helpfully provided.

 

Plastic walls were erected with a sphincter like entrance that fell closed for itself. Air purifiers and special lights were brought to the door and set by Kid and Rawley themselves as Kid had forbid anyone else from entering.

 

Rawley had pulled out his cell phone and had explained Kid's reasons to someone over the phone and by the end, he'd hung up happy and showing more confidence than he'd previously done.

 

By the end of shift, they had done all they could.  Everything else would arrive by the next day and there was nothing they could do until then. The blonde laughed until he wheezed at Kid's phone as they exchanged information and made arrangements for kid to clock in at work where the cleaners would be waiting to bring him to the club.

 

They gave a brief report to Melandrach as he supervised the club's morning clean up and shut down for the day. Staff glanced at them curiously, clearly surprised to see some nobody humanoid standing in conference with the two elves.

 

The blonde elf gave Kid a ride back to the SWAMP in a shiny red Prius. Kid got a kick of hearing that Elves preferred electric and hybrid cars for their lack of need for fossil fuels and low carbon emissions.

 

If at work, Rawley was funny and highly irreverent, off duty he was a riot and had Kid laughing so hard his sides hurt. By the time they got to the SWAMP, kid was red in the face and wiping his eyes. He bid the elf goodbye and ambled into the SWAMP with a smile.

 

It was late and he planned on just cleaning out and re-stocking his kit then clocking out and getting some breakfast before falling into bed. However, well made plans never really worked out for him because instead of a near empty bay, he was met with his entire team, headed by a pacing Fenn who upon seeing him, stomped up to Kid with a barely contained sneer.

 

"You! They picked you for special assignment? Of all people? I've worked too damn hard to make this team what it is without you fucking up my chances… " his hard eyes flickered to the watching team, " … our chances at promotion."

 

"Why oh why…" he asked heavenward… or maybe he was just asking the ceiling," why did they choose the fucking rookie?"

 

Kid had stepped back at the intensity of Fenn's ire, glancing at the rest of the team to gauge their attitudes as well. Chocco was shifting in his seat, looking ready to step in if things got physical. Kid was grateful for that. Gun and Bitter looked wary but not hostile or upset.

 

Priest on the other hand was emotionless as he stared right at Kid unblinkingly, his dark eyes glinting with some unnamed emotion that brought a thrill of fear up Kid's neck. He shifted a bit to put his ranting team leader between him and the houngan, cutting the line of sight between them.

 

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Fenn finally wound down, his arms folded across his chest. "What can you do that anyone else on my team can't?"

 

Kid blinked then shrugged slightly. "They have me restoring a book. An old one."

 

"Who's the client?" Chocco cut across his boss with a rueful look.

 

"High elves." Kid admitted. Chocco muttered an expletive and Bitter frowned.

 

Fenn grumped and rolled his eyes. "Fuck, I can do Books. Even Priest can do books."

 

"It's really old. Ancient. It's specialized stuff that I've been trained to do."

 

Gun nodded. "Back in Archives right?"

 

Priest raised a brow. "What is the book?" he said before Fenn could retort.

 

Kid bit his lip, vividly remembering the Non-disclosure agreement he'd signed, in blood, back at the club. He shook his head and spread his hands in surrender.

 

"I can't tell you."

 

Fenn all but growled this time. Priest took a step forward. "You can't or you won't?"

 

Kid took a step back as well. "I can't… really I can't. They made me sign something. In blood, it's binding."

 

Priest got a hungry look on his face, muttering almost under his breath,  "In blood."

 

Gun stood up from his perch. "They made you sign a contract. Did you read it first? Elves are tricky when it comes to contracts."

 

Kid nodded, "Yeah. The cleaners okayed it. "

 

Chocco scoffed. "I'm sure they did."

 

Fenn gave a long exhale through his nose. "How long do you think the job will take?"

 

Kid tilted his head, thinking. "A couple days to a week."

 

Fenn's bared his teeth as Kid shrugged again and threw his hands up.

 

"It's a delicate job. I can't rush it. Not with this."

 

The team leader snarled and stalked back into the bay, leaving Kid to sigh with relief. Chocco came over and slapped him lightly on the shoulder, smiling down at the shorter man.

 

"It's okay Kid. Do a good job and Bossman will be happy, trust me."

 

Priest chuckled coldly. "Yeah, sure… on the other hand, fuck this up and the Boss will have your head on a pike."

 

Kid shivered at the cold tone and tightened his grip on his kit. He stomped past the dark skinned man with false bravado and made for his table.

 

"Yeah well, he can take a fucking number"

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It took over an hour to get his gear and kit squared away and himself clocked out. The sun was high in the midmorning sky when he hopped from the train and his way down the few blocks to home.

 

He'd just decided on breakfast at Jody's Diner when a loud rumble shook him from his thoughts of bacon and eggs. He startled, side stepping when a huge motorbike hopped the curb only to roll to a stop before him.

 

What few pedestrians there were around, yelped and got out of the way of the heavy bike and Kid could only stare as the bike came to a stop not two feet from him. The rider was just pulling off his helmet when Kid's senses came back to him.

 

"ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?" he yelled, his arms flailing in his anger. "You could have killed someone with that thing. You can't just drive up on the pavement like that. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

 

The rest of his rant fell silent when the helmet came off and the rider flipped his dreadlocks back over his shoulders. Garnet Valentine grinned unrepentantly, looking smug and sexy as hell in his ripped jeans and leather jacket. He looked like such a bad boy that Kid couldn't help but check him out.

 

Most of the people who had come out to see what was going on made abrupt turns and went back into their places. The disgruntled pedestrians also made themselves scarce and soon it was just the two of them.

 

"Hey, I saw you walking there and wanted to talk to you. I realized that you could talk to me while you were on the job but you don't look like you're on the job now so… Can I buy you breakfast?"

 

The werewolf's clumsy rambling was adorable and Kid tried to hide a smile. Garnet caught it though and laughed. It was like warm sun on his face and Kid let himself twitch his mouth upward.

 

The wolf held out his hand "I know a great place a few minutes from here. You'll love it. How 'bout it babe?"

 

Kid mock-scowled, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I am not a 'babe', nor am I 'cutie' or 'sweetheart'. You should know that now. " he pointed an irate finger at the wolf. "… and don't think that I will forget all about this…."

 

He indicated the bike and the curb. "… you won't get off that easily."

 

The wolf laughed and grabbed Kid's finger, tugging at it gently. Kid stumbled a couple steps closer and blushed. Ganet's hands were warm and he smelled really good. Kid took a deep breath.

 

This was the stuff of dreams. Of late night fantasies. Not those about sex or lust. But of love and companionship. Of going on dates and spending time together. Of being held against a strong chest and feeling truly safe for the first time in a very long time.

 

The wolf still had his hand around his, loose enough for Kid to pull away if he so chose. A warmth spread up his arm, across his chest and face and he ducked his head and blushed, nodding and stepping closer.

 

Garnet's responding smile was brilliant and he tugged at Kid's hand once more before letting go and offering him the spare helmet. Kid made quick work of tugging it on and buckling it and soon enough, he was swinging a leg over the massive bike and tucking himself close to the broad back before him.

 

The wolf said something that sounded like a warning and Kid tightened his grip, tucking his legs next the wolf's hips and securing his feet. The bike revved and he gave a whoop as they merged back into traffic. The werewolf guided the bike carefully though the streets, the scenery slipping by in a blur as they picked up speed.

 

He didn't know what this was exactly but he would enjoy it while he could. Maybe the wolf was just satisfying his curiosity. Maybe he just wanted to scratch an itch. Maybe he thought Kid would make a good werewolf and wanted to give him the bite.

 

Maybe he had fallen in love with Kid at first sight amidst a car park painted with blood and guts and wanted to sweep him off his feet and be his boyfriend and knight in shining armor.

 

Whatever it was. He'd roll with it.

 

And hey, free breakfast. You could never go wrong with that.

 

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

 

 

Garnet took him to the Metro Diner, a well preserved throw back to the city's past and, more recently, a popular werewolf eating hang out. The waitress escorted them to a corner booth that was always kept in reserve for the alpha and left them with menus. Kid's stomach grumbled at the smell of frying bacon and melted cheese and he flushed under the wolf's amused gaze.

 

"Hungry?" Garnet grinned  as Kid's cheeks reddened and he ducked behind the upright menu.

 

Kid stubbornly ignored his own flushed face and concentrated on reading. Everything looked so good and by Maia, he was starving. He'd been fucking starving for the last three years in fact. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a full meal.

 

"Get what you want. My treat." the wolf rumbled, his eyes soft and warm as if he'd been reading Kid's thoughts.

 

"Anything I want?" he looked at the other man through his lashes. The wolf nodded in return.

 

One Fried Chicken and Waffle, one Yo Hala on the Square, a Crab Cakes Benedict and a Bissel Breakfast later and Kid sat back and his rubbed his full stomach with a sigh. Garnet and several other werewolves stared openly as the waitress cleared the table's many dishes and refreshed their coffees.

 

The wolf had eaten his fair share of food as well but he was still more than a little surprised at how much food Kid had put away. Kid chuckled at his expression as he stretched and gave a little moan that made ears all over the diner perk up in attention.

 

"Trust me, when you've been just shy of starving for three years and some and someone offers to buy you a meal; you say thanks and don't look back."

 

The wolf makes a face at that but Kid can't tell for sure whether its concern at his words or the causal way he uttered them. Conversation had been flowing easily between them during the meal, each instantly comfortable with each other.

 

Kid hadn't felt this at ease with someone in pretty much his whole life. Garnet was intelligent and funny with a dry sense of humour that spoke to his own personality. Not to mention that he was hot like burning and every time he quirked his lips, Kid felt like kissing his stupid.

 

They ride back to his apartment was lovely as the wolf took the scenic route, skirting various parks and landmarks. It had been a while since Kid had seen sunlight streaming through the leaves, green grass with colourful blankets where picnickers lounged and played Frisbee or read books. They passed museums and art galleries and buildings where graffiti artists made their mark in a riot of colour and imagination.

 

They stopped at an overlook and bought novelty ice cream from the food truck there. Kid had a weird yet delicious one that looked like a corn on the cob while Garnet bought and bit the head off a fish shaped one with a savage chomp that had Kid laughing at the wolf.

 

They were still chuckling when Garnet reached up and wiped a bit of ice cream from the corner of Kid's mouth. The younger man froze, his tongue darting out to taste the thumb as it ran gently across his bottom lip. The wolf growled low, sliding his hand around the back of Kid's neck and pulling him in slowly, giving him enough time to pull away.

 

Kid let himself be drawn in, his eyes falling shut as their lips touched. The wolf tasted like salted caramel and the hollandaise sauce he'd had with breakfast and he let himself be pulled flush against the dreadlocked were's hard body with a breathy sigh.

 

Sweet mercy, the man could kiss.

 

There were strong hands on his back, keeping him snug against that broad chest; the were's tongue questing against his. Kid had been kissed before, once or twice when he was a horny teen, just learning about hormones but never like this.

 

Did he not mention that the man could kiss?

 

He'd say it again if his brain wasn't turning to mush.

 

He gasped for breath when the wolf finally pulled away, his eyes still closed as he held one to the lapels of that sexy leather jacket. He could feel Garnet's own heavy breathing against his cheek they both tried to calm their racing hearts.

 

When Kid finally found his voice, he gave a helpless laugh.

 

"If I asked you to take me home with you right now, I hope you wouldn't think that I was too easy?"

 

Garnet chuckled against his neck, sending a thrill down Kid's spine straight to his dick. He bit back a groan and shivered when the wolf gave a deep inhale, his nose pressed just behind Kid's ear.

 

"I'm very tempted," he whispered against Kid's ear, "… But I'm looking for more than just a quick fuck with you. I want to get to know you… to build something worth more than some cheap tawdry sex."

 

"I'm absolutely fine with cheap, tawdry sex. I don't mind it at all really. The cheaper and more tawdry the better in fact." He pressed a kiss to the cornet of Garnet's lips and whined softly when the wolf growled and tightened his hold. "I'll totally respect you in the morning."

 

It took the werewolf considerable effort to pull away bodily, Kid all but leaning into his hold.

 

"We should at least to the three date thing first, don't you agree?"

 

Kid pouted and rolled his eyes. "Ugh. Why did you have to go and be both hot and noble? You're killing me here. I haven't sucked a dick in forever."

 

The wolf howled with laughter and they both startled a little when some nearby Weres howled back. That had them laughing so much they had to sit on a nearby bench so as not to fall over.

 

By the time they'd calmed down, Garnet had laced his fingers with Kid's on the bench between them and smiled when Kid didn't pull away. The ride home was too quickly over and they spent a few minutes exchanging phone numbers and kissing before the wolf made himself stop and ride away.

 

Kid's smile lasted him all the way up the stairs and into the apartment. He waved at a surprised looking Bobby as he lounged on the couch with two of his deadbeat friends. He took the time to rub one out  in the shower, the taste of Garnet's hot mouth still on his tongue as he grunted through his orgasm.

 

He fell into bed, sated and full; and was asleep in minutes.

 

He awoke to Bobby shaking his shoulder.

 

"Kid… Kiddo …" he hissed, shaking his brother's shoulder again. "Get the fuck up man."

 

I'm up…  I'm up shit man." he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What the fuck time is it?"

 

Bobby half kneeled on the single bed, making the old springs dip heavily. "Just past sunset."

 

Kid made a face. "Dammit Bobby, why did you wake me? I have a long shift tonight."

 

"Trust me bro, you need to be awake for this." Bobby's face was serious. "We have visitors"

 

Bobby stepped back to let Kid get out of bed, tapping his foot nervously as Kid grabbed some clothes and dragged them on. His best jeans and a faded grey t shirt that was stretched at the neck and fell off his freckled shoulder.

 

The deadbeats were gone when he walked out to the living room. Instead, on his ratty couch set and mismatched armchair sat two of the most beautiful people he'd ever seen. He gasped in recognition as the woman flipped her long brunette waves over her bare shoulder.

 

It was the vampire he'd seen that night in front of Oberon. This time she was wearing a deep purple strapless number that hugged her curves like second skin. Gold jewelry and shoes completed the look along with the long and luscious black fur she was perched on.

 

Sprawled next to her was the tall glass of sex on legs who'd been escorting her. He was dark and swarthy with eyes that burned like fire the way all vampires' did. His leather pants seemed painted on, a vermillion coloured shirt unbuttoned all the way to his waist, showing off an expanse of skin. It didn't look tacky though, despite his slicked back black hair that fell across his shoulders in curls.

 

It was a bit guido-looking but he carried well.

 

They both pinned him with intense stares as he bowed formally.

 

"Greetings, honoured guests. We welcome to our home the Golden Arcanum Vampyrim."

 

 


	11. Chapter 11

The apartment looks shabby next to their guests but Kid quickly put that out of his mind, he needed all his concentration for this. Vampires don't make house calls for just any old reason. 

Well, no good reason anyway.

He straightened his clothes subtly and offered them refreshments even though everyone in the room knew that vampires didn't drink weak tea or tepid, rusty water. He made sure not to offer from the vein, even though some humanoids did that; trying to impress their blood drinking guests. It was an old protocol that was hardly used anymore because it too often ended with a dead body in someone's parlor and a not so remorseful lodger.

Kid and Bobby perched carefully on the edge of a pair of lawn chairs they'd salvaged from a dumpster and repaired with caution tape. The plastic creaked dangerously but both chairs held in the heavy silence that hung in the seedy room while they all just looked at each other.

Finally the female vampire spoke, her voice was husky and full of power. "I am Yolanthe, Secondus of the Golden Arcanum Vampyrim. Pluvia Sanguinis and Regni Perturbationem of the Golden Circle. "

She gestured to the man sitting next to her with an elegant wave of her wrist. "This is Laurent, Tertium of the Arcanum and Nigrum Cornu of the Golden Circle."

Laurent aka 'sex on legs' smirked, staring straight at Kid with hooded, hungry eyes. Kid swallowed heavily and felt the sharp gaze of those golden eyes like a physical caress along the column of his neck. He absently tried to pull the stretched out neck of his t-shirt back up over his shoulder, acutely aware as it fell back, once again leaving his freckled skin bare.

Yolanthe gave both boys another intense look, her body sitting unnaturally still as the undead were wont to be. Kid gave a polite bow of this head, keeping his voice even and pleasant.

"And what prey tell brings the Golden Arcanum to our humble home this evening?" 

Laurent gave a dark chuckle, barely restrained power making his voice sound like velvet. His muscles flexed under the supple black leather and he grinned wickedly when he caught Kid staring at them. How he managed to look like a predator about to pounce without moving an inch was baffling to Kid.

"We've come about the debt you owe." he stated bluntly. 

Yolanthe rolled her eyes, the corners of her perfectly glossed lips twitching upward. "The Golden Circle acquired your marker from the Kazoku Rakūn. We are here to discuss the terms of your restitution."

Kid's blood ran cold, his face going numb. He felt Bobby go still next to him before the leg shaking began in earnest. Merciful Maia, the blood suckers had bought their marker. This was bad news. It wasn't the worst it could be but vampires were not known for their mercy.

They would have to navigate this new factor carefully if they didn't want to end up in some blood farm or half drained in the back room of some suck house.

Kid kept his gaze half lowered and humble, praying to Maia that Bobby kept a civil tongue in his head. A wrong word now would have long standing consequences. If they were lucky, they could come to some sort of arrangement that would keep both their fats out of the fryer.

He tilted his head just so to Yolanthe who was examining her long and deceptively sharp looking nails. 

"The arrangement previously made with Tanuki-Sama was for cash payments every month with a fixed interest and …."

Laurent laughed, the sound hauntingly jarring as he threw his head back, his fangs flashing in the poor lighting. 

"What use have we for money? We are the Arcanum Aureum. Money means nothing to us. It has no soul, no passion. No value except to throw at the groveling masses of worms that mill around our feet. Their lives just as short and meaningless, their paper money worth even less."

"Though, that is not to say that we cannot perhaps come to some other agreement or form of payment," 

Yolanthe looked Bobby up and down with a glint of hunger in her golden eyes. 

"How about it my lovely boy? … I could use a pretty little pet to pamper and spoil. The life of a pom-du-sang of the Golden Circle is one of luxury and pleasure. You would never know suffering again, never know hunger… never know pain… unless it was the exquisite pain of pleasure."

Her voice rung with power and that famous vampire lure. The air got heady with arousal and musk. Bobby flushed and preened, stretching his lithe body a little further on the chair. His eyes shone with growing interest and that insatiable curiosity that his family was cursed with and Kid's heart was gripped with a cold fear. 

Not Bobby. No. Kid would never allow that kind of life for his little brother. The true life of a pom-du-sang was one of servitude and sexual slavery, no matter the romantic propaganda vampires liked to establish. He'd heard too many stories of the so called 'blood apples' being terribly used, abused and thrown away like so much trash. 

"With respect…" Kid spoke sharply, piercing the mood. He cleared his throat nervously as Yolanthe's eyes flashed with irritation. He took a slow and calming breath "… I would rather that, as head of the family, that I alone be the one to bear all responsibilities of the debt."

"So brave and self-sacrificing" Laurent purred. "Always the little helper aren't you? You may have convinced that old sentimental fool of a raccoon to allow this… 'arrangement' but the true nature of a marker hangs equally over each member of the family under its weight."

"It is in the blood" Yolanthe agreed. "It is always in the blood."

Kid tries again, "My brother is under-aged. I hoped to …"

"Age matters not. The marker is binding to all kith and kin." 

Yolanthe cut across his words ruthlessly and Kid quickly backed down. He knew that to push too far could blow up in their faces. He needed to somehow work around this and keep his brother safe. He just had to keep Bobby safe. He'd promised.

Kid tried to concentrate as Yolanthe spoke but Laurent was staring at him unblinkingly. Kid kept glancing between the beautiful vampiress, his brother and beautiful bastard that who just would not look away from his face.

"I know you." the vampire grinned, interrupting his companion's words. 

She glared at him but he ignored her frown, sending her a quick wink. She gave a small smile, apparently forgiving him, and he turned back to stare at Kid.

"You were at Oberon that night. Near the alley. I remember your eyes. The pain in them, the sorrow. I wanted to take you and see you wrecked and weeping on my bed, those eyes blown wide and leaking tears of pain and pleasure."

His grin widened. "Maybe we can come to some kind of arrangement after all."

Kid's skin paled almost white at the implication, his brother looking at him in concern as the vampires make their leave. He followed farewell protocol as if by rote, truly unaware of what he was doing until the door closed behind the duo.

"Kid?" Bobby's voice seemed like an echo. "Hey Bro… you okay?" 

He nodded absently, his mind racing as he sank down unto the saggy couch. He felt cold, shaky, totally adrift. Warm hands cupped his and he slowly tracked his gaze down to his brother's concerned gaze. 

"You're scaring me." Bobby whispered, squeezing Kid's hands in his. "Please talk to me."

"it's going to be okay…" Kids said slowly, making up his mind at the next course of action. "… I'm going to take care of everything."

Bobby pulled back, frowning. "What does that mean?"

Kid nodded slowly, his eye distant as he spoke; trying to convince himself of his decision at the same time. He pulled his gaze up to meet his brother's, cupping his brother's face and ran his fingers through Bobby's greasy hair with a weak and trembling smile. 

"It means that I'm going to take care of everything,"

Bobby stared at Kid's face for a moment then jerked back from the touch. 

"You're gonna let that vamp fuck you aren't you?"

Kid startled. "Bobby wha…?"

His brother wrenched himself to his feet and started pacing angrily. He stopped ad opened his mouth to speak a few times before shaking his head angrily and paced once again. Finally he stopped right in front of kid with his hands on his hips.

"So you can sell your body for money but when do it, it's bad? What the fuck Kid?"

Kid shook his head in denial. "It's not like that"

Bobby bristled. "Oh is it? She was offering me a good life as her pom du terre. I would have been on easy street and the marker would have been paid. We would have been done with this whole business and finally been able to live some kind of semi-decent life."

"Pom du sang." Kid corrected, absently. "It's Pom Du Sang. Blood Apple. Pom Du Terre is a potato."

"I don't give a fuck if I was her Pomeranian." Bobby screeched. "That's not the fucking point. Why didn't you just take the offer?"

Kid looked up at his brother with tears I his eyes. "Because…" he stammered, "Because I couldn't let that happen to you. Do you know what happens to the Blood Apples? Do you really? Before you knew it you'd be dead or trussed up like cattle on some blood farm out in the boonies."

Bobby made an aggravated sound. "At least my life would have been choice until then. With my luck I could overdose tomorrow and die. My life style doesn't really see me living to an old age y'know"

"And when they sucked you dry and threw you away. Who do you think they would call to come ad clean dispose of your body?" Kid felt a tear roll down his cheek as he spoke in a flat monotone. "Do you know how many bodies I've see thrown into the incinerator? How many of them whose families will ever know what happened to them?"

He looked at his brother, "Do you know how many of them looked just like you? Don't make me burn you Bobby. Please don't make me. I'd do anything but that."

"Kid…" Bobby looked stricken. "i…"

He glomped unto Kid, both of them tumbling back unto the couch, clutching at each other like they did when they were kids; crying like babies and holding each other close.

It took a while before they calmed down enough to let each other go, their faced puffy and red. Bobby dragged a promise out of Kid that they would talk more about their situation when Bobby got back home from work and they parted ways.

Bobby disappeared to meet up with his friends and Kid dragged himself through the machinations of getting ready for work. He felt heavy, weighted down by the world. 

He knew that he'd promised Bobby that they would talk about this when he got home but at the end of the day, he would ever let his baby brother make that kind of sacrifice when Kid could do so himself.

He'd promised to keep his brother safe.   
No matter what it took.

No matter what it took from him. 

Even if he sold his body.  
Even if he sold his soul.

Whatever it took.   
He would do it.

He'd promised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welp, things are getting worse before they can get better


	12. Chapter 12

"You're distracted today?" Rawley propped his elbow on the table next to Kid and rested his chin on his fist. He indicated to the page that Kid had been studying "You've been staring at that same page for the past twenty minutes."

Kid glanced at him absently and carefully put the page back down. He shrugged. 

"A lot on my mind I guess." 

He'd been off kilter since his encounter with the Golden Arcanum and he decision he'd come too soon after. Bobby had been right to call it a Sword of Damocles type situation and the sword was just starting to fall. 

He'd been quiet and pensive all the way to the SWAMP that night, through Fenn's blatant cloud of disapproval, through Priest's creepy overtures, through the ride to Oberon with Wolf and Tiger. 

He'd still dug up enough awe to appreciate the massive library before Rawley escorted him to the office workspace. The equipment they'd ordered had been delivered and set up, the elf assuring him that he'd overseen the installation personally. 

Melandrach had made a brief appearance, looking over the room with a sharp, assessing gaze before nodding and leaving. Soon enough the pulsing base from the club resonated through the floor, beating in time with Kid's own heart.

"Well then, " Rawley grinned. " I will just have to distract you and get you out of your own head. After all it's my job to make sure this project runs smoothly"

Kid's lips quirked. "And just how are you going to do that?"

"I have my ways. " Rawley smiled. "First things first… tell me about your fist time. Or are you a virgin?"

Kid let out a startled laugh. "A virgin? Are you kidding? I had two sorcerers and a hag in my building alone growing up. I got rid of that shit when I was thirteen. All us kids did. Any later than that and you were just asking to be sacrificed, drained of blood or gutted for some kind of spell or sometimes, even eaten as a delicacy."

Rawley made a face. "I thought…"

Kid gives a mirthless chuckle. "The Laws the government passed are great in theory but no one reports the missing or presumed dead if they want to avoid retribution. Magic users have long memories and a penchant for being mentally unstable…."

Kid tilted his head slightly, adjusting his face mask. "… but there are unspoken rules, preventing kids under twelve from being targeted. Anyone caught stealing a child would be bound in magic and executed by their peers. It was the only thing that could keep both us and them under control. "

"That doesn’t mean that people are safe though. People still have to keep a watchful eye. There is always someone out there waiting to snatch you away."

The blond elf frowned. "That's pretty morbid for someone so young."

Kid arched an eyebrow and gave a 'what can you do?' gesture.

"I had to grow up pretty fast."

Silence lay heavy for a few seconds before Rawley seemed to shake off the darker mood. 

"So… " he gave an easy smile, "… First time? Don't tell me … succubus twins?"

"No way! And have every sexual experience for the rest of my life be filled with utter disappointment?" Kid laughed and shook his head. "Nah… there was a water sprite who lived on the fifth floor. He had a jaccuzzi and everything. He was very gentle. It was very nice."

"Just nice?" a blond eyebrow raised skeptically.

Kid shrugged, "Considering some of the stories I'd heard from others. I was extremely grateful for 'just nice.' Soon after that I did it a Fearie girl. She was rebelling against her parents, I didn't want to take the chance that losing my ass cherry didn't count in some way. She was nice too."

Kid gave a look of contemplation. "Kept calling me someone else's name but both her clit and her tongue were pierced so I had a pretty good time."

Rawley laughed behind his own mask and slapped Kid's back. Kid grinned back. At least the elf had succeeded in lightening the mood. They got back to work and made good progress in removing most of the stain.

A few hours in, Rawley called for a break and Kid decided to roam the tiers of the library to stretch his legs and give his tired eyes a rest.

He was on the third tier, browsing the spines of the ancient tomes in rapt fascination. Some of these he'd heard about only as rumours. His fingers itched to pull one out and snuggle into the cushy armchair in the nearby alcove with his feet tucked under him.

"Hmmmm… what I would give to just stay here forever with all of you." he murmured to the gilded spines. "I would take such good care of you."

"Even as diluted as your blood had become little imp, your Brownie heritage sill shows through." a deep and melodious voice came from behind him.

Kid froze, biting back a surge of irritation. Why did people always have to comment on his watered down heritage and his creature tendencies as if they were either disgusted of surprised. There were so many half breeds walking the streets. 

Granted, Brownie -human mixes were rare; not to mention Bobby's incubus blood; but it wasn't as if they were the only ones. His mother's family had been numerous once, albeit estranged and scattered across the good green earth. He had to have some half -brownie cousins out there somewhere.

He plastered a genial expression on his face and turned only to freeze. Oberon Elf King was as stunning in person as he was on the cover of People Magazine. Even more so in fact.

His skin was unnaturally white, his hair fluffed in a halo around his head. His eyes were shining silver of power carefully contained. He was dressed in a flowing pyjama like outfit, silver embroidery rampant along his broad chest in a vine pattern.

He was pierced through the bridge of his nose and in the left nostril where a fine platinum chain slung up to his earlobe where several more piercings ran up the length of his ear.

His hands were dripping with mithril and rose gold bracelets and rings which tinkled as he moved. He was barefoot, his white feet looking odd against the patterned carpet.

Kid blinked and stammered. "I… uh… your highness… I mean… your majesty? I ah…. Forgive me… "

His mind was screaming shut up shut up shut up you fool and he snapped his mouth shut with an audible click. His faced burned and he was sure that his skin had reddened under that piercing gaze.

He fidgeted awkwardly and tried to give a bow, almost tripping over his own feet. He just managed to keep himself upright and gave himself a mental head slap, wishing the ground would open up and swallow him. 

He glanced around, hoping that Rawley would pop his head out from around some corner and save his from embarrassing himself to death. Sadly, that did not happen.

The elf king stepped forward. "I see from your reverence that you have a healthy love for books. Tell me, what do you think of our little collection?"

Kid took a moment to glance around at tier upon tier of priceless artifacts. "I could spend a forever or two here I would think?"

Oberon nodded, looking up at the breathtaking stained glass ceiling. "I believe you could." He agreed and turned back to look at Kid. "Melandrach tells me that you have made significant progress with the Galdrabók. I am pleased to hear this. It is favoured amongst my collection and I was … most upset by what transpired."

Kid nodded in agreement. Yeah, that kool-aid was a fucking travesty. "I'm surprised your head librarian allowed it to happen. "

The elf king's face twisted briefly. "Alas, it was the head librarian who was responsible for it happening."

Kid gaped in disbelief and the elf king's lips twitched ruefully.

"He was the son of my favourite cousin. I promised to look after her family when she returned to the earth and he seemed competent enough for the job. I admit that I thought this a safe enough place to tuck him."

Kid nodded in empathy. "I know how those kind of promises go."

The elf tilted his head curiously. "Do you now?"

Kid took a deep breath and rested his elbows on the carved wood railing, suddenly at ease with his current company. The lower levels of the library were as beautiful to look down at as the top was looking up. The intricate wood inlays and the pattered carpet were visually satisfying to look upon.

The elf king joined him at the rail. "What promise weighs upon your shoulders little imp?"

Kid sighed and found himself telling of his promise to his mother, about what she'd done and how he'd been bound by his blood to see the promise fulfilled. 

The words spilled from his mouth so easily that he suspected some kind of compulsion spell but he'd been keeping all of this against is chest for so long that it seemed almost cathartic to tell someone, anyone. 

By the end he was panting and crying softly, wiping the tears away with the cuff of his sleeve. A throat cleared nearby and they both looked over to see Rawley waiting at the top of the stair.

His eyes were wide and surprised and his gaze averted respectfully as he deeply bowed to his king. Oberon nodded regally at them both and turned to walk away. It was only when he'd reached the doorway to the library that Kid found his voice again.

"Thank you" he whispered, unsure for what exactly he was thanking the king but needing to say it anyway. 

Oberon paused and turned his head to look at them both over his shoulder, his silver eyes shining brightly. He gave a slight bow in acceptance and stepped through the doorway and out of sight.

Rawley slumped against the railing next to kid and exhaled heavily. "Sacred Spirits. I've ever seen him that close before."

Kid stared at him. "You haven't? You walk around here like it's old hat and tease Melandrach mercilessly."

Rawley chuckled. "We elves may seem like the cream of the crop but we still have societal castes within our race. We just don’t tell anyone. 

"I may have come from a good family line but I'm still young and working my way up, thus the bartender's job. I know Melly from working in the Club but I also know him personally through family ties. I tease him yes, but never on work or during court."

He turned around and leaned his elbows on the rail.

"He's my boss and is from a greater House but I can get away with that because I have the potential to be upwardly mobile socially. If I were born of one of the lesser houses, I'd be stuck working shifts at the club forever and would probably have my lips sewn together from speaking that freely with someone above my station."

Kid ran a hand over his buzzed hair. "I never knew elf hierarchy was that fucking complicated"

"Tell me about it. " the elf chuckled and slapped Kid's arm. Let's get back to work."

By the time he'd clocked out at the SWAMP at the end of shift, he'd had time to run through enough scenarios to realize that there was nothing he could really do about the marker but accept his fate.

Best case scenario, the vampire would leave him alive and relatively uharmed and consider the debt paid in full. Worst case scenario, he'd be killed or shipped out to the blood farms. Vampires were known for their tempers and propensity for turning violent at the drop of a hat.

Either way he'd do his best to see that Bobby make it out alive and unbroken. His was probably being nihilistic but he had always been a realist. 

A text from Garnet brought a smile to his face and they met once again for breakfast. 

"Date number two" Kid grinned, going up on his toes to steal a kiss. The werewolf smiled into the kiss and hugged Kid's body against his own. 

"Counting down?"

"Someone has too." Kid pulled away, wrapping his arms around the other man's neck. "If we waited on your outdated sense of chivalry, I'd never get laid." 

Garnet laughed, loud and warm. "And here I thought you liked my for my wonderful personality."

Kid pretended to consider it "Meh… fifty five percent personality and looks. Forty percent hot man cock."

"And the last five?"

Kid gave a sly grin. "Free food."

The werewolf laughed again as they were shown to the same corner booth. It is only when they tucked in to the breakfast dishes that Garnet tilted his head like Kid had seen dogs do.

"Being a good provider is a very important part of werewolf culture. Granted we don't go out hunting as much."

"As much?" Kid asked around a mouthful of pancake. 

They talked about pack dynamics, current events, music, art and so much more; leaving the diner and walking the couple of blocks to where Garnet's bike was parked. They then took a ride out of the city and stopped at the edge of a wooded grove.

There were some scattered benches as the grove bordered a small park but the place was deserted. Parts of the park were still in shadow from the early morning sun and they walked along one of the shaded paths. 

Kid pushed Garnet to sit on a bench and climbed into his lap, straddling his legs. The kisses were soft and sweet, warm hands sliding under his t-shirt as his own hands found purchase on broad, leather clad shoulders. 

The wolf tasted like sweet coffee and his skin was hot to the touch. Kid whimpered into the kissing, rolling his hips to make them both moan. They finally parted, both breathing heavily. 

"Gods, you smell so fucking good." Kid panted, rubbing his nose along the wolf's jaw. "You taste even better."

Garnet rumbled deep in his chest happily, his arms snug around Kid's waist. He chuckled and nipped gently at Kid's bottom lip.

"When I met you that day down at the docks, something about you just called to me. Your pouty lips and those freckles. There I was, preparing to lay down some serious game on you and you couldn't seem to get away from me fast enough. I felt like such a scrub afterwards."

"We're not allowed to make nice with the clients while on the job. If my boss had seen me chatting you up, I'd have been toast for sure." Kid huffed. "Just my luck that the guy I jerked off to as a teenager was smiling at me and I couldn't even do anything about it."

"I thought that you were just being shy. Shows what I know." He made a funny face. "Wait… what was that about you as a teen?"

Kid flushed bright red and tries to hide his face in the werewolf's shoulder. "Teen Beat magazine." he mumbled against the leather.

Garnet's laughter echoed through the empty park.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for attempted rape.

Kid was just draining the last of his coffee when he got a call on the Frozen Burner phone, Elsa's smug face smiling at him as the midi ringtone echoed through the apartment. Bobby's laughter echoed through the thin walls as he scrambled to answer, fumbling the phone a couple times before bringing it up to his ear.

The message was short and blunt. Oberon was closed for the day and Kid was report to the SWAMP for his shift. He'd be back at the club tomorrow. The call disconnected before he could do anything but grunt his acknowledgement and he stared at the phone for a few moments, equally annoyed at their rudeness and grateful that they'd been short and to the point.

He waved goodbye to his brother and set out for the swamp, passing by the local supermarket for the some free samples of cocktail wieners to go with the couple slices of bread he'd packed in a brown bag. Even though they still had the money he'd intended to pay Tanuki-Sama with, he was loathe to spend it. There was still a part of him that hoped that the Golden Arcanum would eventually settle for a cash solution.

Bay four was empty as it was early still and he took the time to restock and clean his gear before catching up on all the grunt work he'd been assigned as rookie. He knew that in his absence that Chocco and Priest would be the ones picking up the slack and that they would not have been too happy about it. He would have to thank Chocco for that personally. Priest could go fuck himself as far as Kid was concerned.

His phone pinged and he dug around in his back pack for it. There was a text from Garnet, asking to see Kid for breakfast after his shift. Kid smiled and perched on the corner of work table. He chuckled at the wolf emoji and sent back an all caps THIRD DATE with three eggplant emojis after. Garnet responded immediately with several ROFL emojis mixed with heart eyes and a wolf howling.

Movement at the corner of his eye made Kid look up. Bitter was standing just behind the truck, staring at him. He was dressed in civvies, a white button down shirt and grey pressed slacks. It had always surprised Kid to see Bitter dressed in something other than the SWAMP white overalls. He was always first in, last out. In fact, he looked mildly surprised to Kid at work that early. Or he would, if Bitter's face ever showed emotion at all.

They nodded to each other and Kid turned back to the drudgery of opening the large boxes of chemical testing supplies and sorting them all into job ready kits, ready to be pulled out and used at a moment's notice. Bitter had disappeared behind the truck somewhere but Kid paid it no mind. Who knew that the fae got up to on his own time. Kid knew better than to ask anymore.

He was just sinking into the routine when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He barely had time to blink before a hard body was plastered against his back, trapping his against the large metal work table. 

Hands gripped at his hips tightly, surely leaving bruises on his pale skin. He struggled against the hold, bracing his hands on the table and pushing back with all his might. Sadly, it did nothing but make the man holding him excited, evidenced by the growing erection pressed against his back. 

Priest chuckled against Kid's ear, his moist breath sending cold shivers down Kid's spine. The houngan licked a hot stripe up Kid's neck and nipped softly at the freckled skin.

"Get off me you fucker. I'm serious." Kid growled, fighting against the magically induced fear that sought to overwhelm him. He elbowed Priest and got a harder bite for his troubles.

"Why must you continue to resist me little imp?" the other man all but purred against his skin. "Your sharp little tongue says no but your body had already surrendered. It begs for me to bury myself deep within you. It tells me to take everything. Body and soul. You will be mine."

He rucked his hips forward and Kid grimaced at the press of hot flesh against him. He could feel it clearly, even though both their clothing. He bit his lip to keep in a frightened sound and shut his stinging eyes tight, frozen in place. The fear had risen high enough to feel as if he was drowning and it was all he could do to turn his face away when the houngan tried to kiss his cheek.

"Go to hell." he hissed.

"Still such a feisty tongue …" the man murmured. "Don't worry, I will put it to very good use when I take you as my pet. I will have to break you of course but I will savour process immensely. "

"Just say yes…" He nipped at the curve of Kid's ear, pulling at it enough to Kid to hiss loudly. "Say yes and surrender to me."

Kid shook his head, hot tears falling from the corners of his eyes. "N…n… never."

Priest hand's tightened painfully and his erection pressed harder against Kid's taint. Kid's trembling grew as the other man growled dangerously against his neck.

"Then I shall take you…urk"

A loud crash sounded and Kid crouched low, protecting his head with his arms. Its took a few seconds to realize that he wasn't being held anymore and he looked up, hastily wiping the tear tracks from his face. Priest was sprawled amidst a broken table, blinking dazedly as supplies rolled and fluttered around him. Between them Bitter stood, his arm still outstretched. 

This is the scene that Chocco and Gun ambled in on. Both men froze, taking in the scene. Priest was laid out on one side of the bay, Kid was crouched and terrified in another and in between them, like one of the Argonath of Gondor, stood Bitter. His face was as detached as ever but his eyes burned with an almost palpable rage.

Chocco gave a great sigh, letting his duffel fall to his feet with a soft schwump. 

"Oh Boy."

 

……………………………………………….

 

Kid tucked himself into one of the nooks on the roof of the SWAMP between the some rusty pipes and a large vent. The night was cloudy and there was no moon to be seen. Chocco had sent him to the bathroom to collect himself while he and Gun dealt with the situation but Kid had made a detour and had instead headed up the stairs.

The wind was a bit brisk but after he'd tucked himself into the small space, he'd been mostly sheltered from its bite. He was shaking still, but soon enough it became more because of the wind and less because of the gripping fear that ran icy and burning through his veins.

His heart was still beating too fast in his chest and he tried to calm it down by taking deep, almost painful breaths. He tucked his trembling hands under his armpits and let his chin drop to his chest. That had been…. He didn't really know what the hell that had been. 

For Priest to do something like that in the Middle of the SWAMP…. was insane. He either believed that no one would walk in and see him terrorizing Kid or that if they did, that they would not care. Frankly, Kid didn't know which was more terrifying.

He fumbled his phone out of his pocket and speed dialed Bobby. He needed someone to talk to. Someone familiar. He felt so alone, so numb that if he didn't reach out to someone for warmth, he may just turn into a popsicle, tucked in the little nook as he was.

Bobby's phone rang until it fell into the generic voice mail. As it did the next two times Kid tried to call. Huffing with almost hysterical frustration, Kid glared at the phone, as if will his brother mentally to answer. He swallowed back a whimper as he ran through his pitiful contact list.

His thumb paused over Garnet's number but he quickly shook his head. He couldn't call the werewolf. It was late, he was probably sleeping. Besides, Kid didn't know what the thing between them was. He didn't know if they were at a place where Kid could drop this kind of drama on him in the dead of night.

But on the other hand, Garnet made Kid feel safe. Like no one had done for him in a long time. 

He pressed the button before he could talk himself out of it and held it up to his ear. The other one was still smarting from Priest's teeth and a shudder ran through him at the memory. 

" 'lo" 

The werewolf's voice was low and rough from sleep and Kid felt a sudden heartbreaking urge to be lying next to him in bed, warm from being tucked between the sheets. Strong arms holding him close against that broad chest, that wonderfully smelling skin.

A soft whine slipped past his lips and he squeezed them shut.

"Kid? What's wrong? I can hear your heart racing." Garnet's voice grew more alert by the second. 

Kid tried to speak a couple of times before finally getting his tongue to work. "I just…. I Just wanted…"

"What do you need Baby?" the other man's voice was soothing and Kid could hear the ruffling of clothes. "It's okay. You can talk to me. "

Kid swallowed a sob at the endearment, slapping his hand over his mouth as he tried his best to just hold it together. After a few moments of the both of them just breathing, kid finally managed to find his voice.

"Bad day at work. I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Do you need me to come get you?" Garnet asked, keys jingling over the line.

Kid sighed and let his head fall back against the wall with a soft thump. "Do I want you to? Yes. But do I need you to? No. No I don't. I just started my shift. I can't leave."

"Is there anything I can do? Do you want to talk about it?"

Kid shook his head then remembered to respond verbally. "Not really." 

The wolf hummed for a moment before asking. "What about if we talk about something else for a while hmm?"

Kid felt his lips twitch. "Like what?"

"How about you about you tell me what you want to do for the infamous third date?"

Kid huffed a soft laugh. "Are you sure you want my input on this?

The werewolf's laugh was low and warmed Kid's chest. "I'm open to negotiations."

"Okay then." Kid barked a harsh laugh. "I want you to take me to your place. To your den. I want you to feed me then I want to you take my hand, lead me to your bedroom , undress me and lay me on your bed. I want to smell like you. I want rub myself on your sheets as you explore my body with your hands and your mouth. 

I want you to open me up slowly and then take me. I want you in me so full and so deep that I can’t think of anything but your name. I want you to rock into me, release inside me until I smell like you inside and out and no matter how many showers I take, I want everyone to know that I'm yours and yours only. That's what I want."

Garnet's breathing was ragged by the end of it and Kid was not much better off. 

"By Selene herself, "The Were breathed shakily, "I am so hard right now. You have no idea what you do to me Baby. How you tempt me beyond all reason. I can't wait to see you tomorrow" 

"Me too." Kid felt his cheeks heat and gave a small sly smile. "I have to go. I'll call you when I get off."

Garnet chuckled and bit back a moan. There was the telltale snick of a lotion bottle opening. "… and I'll send you a text when I get off." 

Kid rolled his eyes and laughed at the crude joke and hung up, feeling much better than he did before. He untucked himself from his little nook and stretched languidly. Movement to the side had him turning quickly but it was only Gun.

"Dude, you scared me." Kid huffed, his hand on his chest. "What's up?"

Gun walked to the edge of the roof, hands in his pocket as he looked out over the back alleys and at the city beyond. Kid joined him and they spent a few moments in silence. Finally, Gun turned his face to look at Kid.

"Priest got sent up to the Night Manager's office."

Kid gaped openly. "Fuck a duck, really?"

Gun nodded, turning back to the city view. "Fenn and Bitter frog marched him up there after making a report to Dispatch. He tried to struggle at first, calling up his magic but Grazzie shut that down in a hot second. For all that they hate each other, Bossman and that bastard sure can work well together."

Gun shrugged and continued as Kid continued to gape stupidly. "Fenn was so fucking mad. I've never seen him like that. And for a moment there I thought Bitter was gonna shift and rip Priest to shreds with his claws. But considering his past, I wouldn't blame him."

Kid made a confused face. "Huh… what?"

Gun scuffed his shoe against the ground. "Bitter's wife was kidnapped and killed by another fae who'd been obsessed with her. By the time he'd gotten to her it had been too late. He killed the guy with his bare hands. Ripped him apart like a bad cheque."

"The only reason the Fae Court didn't execute him for killing one of the Royal family was the state his wife was in when they found her. In the end they exiled him but that was a bit of a hollow mercy. He died the day his wife did."

Kid breathed heavily. "Shit."

Gun nodded. "Yeah."

Kid turned back to look at the city, his mind officially blown. "Shit."

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Kid stared up at the night manager's door and tried to imagine what was going on inside. There was no light behind it, no sound. Not even a vibe or gut feeling. There was just the void that people disappeared into. Kid almost felt sorry for Priest and whatever he was facing in there. 

Almost. 

A large part of him was glad that the rat bastard wasn't around to menace him anymore.

He found Bitter rhythmically sharpening one of the scraping tools and mumbled a soft thanks. The fae didn't look up but the sharpening motion paused for a few seconds then started up again. Kid figured that was the best he would get so he wandered off in search of Chocco. 

The half djinn hovered like a worried mother, gently checking Kid over for any bruises or injuries while Fenn stood to the side, a stern expression on his face. Kid couldn't meet his eyes, wondering if the Team Leader had reacted the way he did because of real concern for Kid or because the discovery of Priest's behaviour made the team look bad. 

He didn't place much water in the first option. Fenn had to have known that Priest had been menacing Kid since the get go. It had just been a case of not caring enough about Kid to do anything about it. In truth, he hadn't placed much faith in any of the team in stopping Priest but that had been when the harassment had been subtle and not as bold as the recent behaviour had been.

They made him fill out an incident report and file it with dispatch. Much to Kid's surprise, several other reports were piled with his from the other members of the team and even one from Grazzie. After Chocco seemed satisfied that Kid would live, he pushed towards Gun who put him to work with detailing the truck's under carriage. 

It was tedious and back breaking work but it kept Kid's mind off of recent events. Their team had been taken off rotation for the night, no doubt to Fenn's irritation, so they were stuck at the SWAMP for the night. Tiger showed up a couple of hours later, exchanging a few terse and private words with Fenn and informing Kid that he was still due back at Oberon the next night. Kid nodded, keeping a glancing eye at his scowling team leader. Now Team four would be down two men.

He'd just clocked out when Fenn called him to one side. He could see Chocco watching, looking concerned before Gun patted him on the arm and pushed him gently towards the door. The bigger man let himself be nudged away but not before one last glance.

Bitter sat near his open locker, staring back at Fenn unblinkingly when the team leader tried to signal him to leave. Finally Fenn just gave up trying to make the Fae move and turned to glare at Kid.

"You've been nothing but trouble since you first got here." he began, folding his arms across his chest. "I don't care where you came from or how good of a paper man you are. I called it on your first day here. What were they thinking… placing an Imp on my team? A fucking Brownie."

He started to pace, giving Kid a moment to collect himself. Was that the reason Fenn didn't like him? Because of his bloodline? He blinked back a stinging in his eyes, pulled back suddenly to the school playground where he would get teased mercilessly. 'Go back to the shoe maker' they'd yelled, pelting him with sand from the sandbox and pebbles from the playground. 'Hob Goblin. House Elf. Boggart. Go back to the forest. Go back to the cupboard. ' Kids were fucking cruel.

Fenn eventually tapers off, exhausting his anger at Kid's expense and walked away, grumbling about the arduous process of applying for a new team member and if he was doing, he might as well apply for two. Kid looked at his feet, ashamed and somewhat hurt. He'd been hoping that if he did a good enough job, that he could have proven himself to Fenn eventually and the team lead would warm up to him. Sadly, that didn't seem the case.

He gave a great sigh and pulled his backpack higher up his shoulder. What a shit fucking day.

A hand patted his shoulder and Kid jumped, squeaking as he spun around. Bitter said nothing, just giving his shoulder a squeeze before letting it drop and walking away. Kid stared after him, amazed and somewhat grateful for even that tiny show of comradery. 

He got a solemn nod from Grazzie as he passed Bay two and Kid returned it just as seriously. Grazzie may be an asshole most of the time but he'd never gone past leers and innuendo. And he'd stepped up and subdued the houngan before he'd been able to let his magic loose.

The subway ride was quiet and he watched the sunrise through the scratched rounded windows as it illuminated the city. Garnet was waiting for him outside his apartment, looking too gorgeous for this early in the morning. Kid groaned at the site. Charcoal jeans, ripped strategically; a burgundy henley snug against his toned body and his ever present leather jacket. He looked good enough to eat.

And if Kid had his way, he would be eating him before the day was done.

He leaned into a slow kiss, careful to keep their bodies apart.

"I have to shower and change." he whined, pulling away reluctantly. "I smell."

Garnet made a face. "You do actually."

Kid punched him in the arm but the werewolf barely felt it. "Fuck you asshole. Give me a few minutes."

Bobby was waiting for him in the apartment, sitting on the counter of the tiny kitchen

"We need to talk dude." 

Kid quickly shucked his clothes and tossed them into a pile in the corner of his room. He ducked his head out to look at his brother. "Can't it wait? I have plans."

"No it can't, " Bobby frowned, for once looking completely sober. "It's about the marker."

Kid stepped into the cold spray of the shower and cursed at the chill." I said that I was taking care of that."

"Really?" Bobby pulled the shower curtain aside to glare at his older brother. "And by that you mean giving yourself over to that pervy blood sucker to whatever he pleases? Because if that is what you mean then we are so not done talking about it."

Kid quickly soaped up, frowning at Bobby. "Yeah, we kinda are. As head of the house, it's my duty to bear the responsibility for the debt our family owes."

Bobby scoffed. "So that's it? You decide what to do and end of discussion? So what was all that bullshit about being brothers and sticking together? Mom practically spoon-fed us both that crap from the cradle. Fuck, the only reason you're in this shit hole and not in some hoity toity college somewhere is because Mom all but chained you to this fucking family. She chained all of us to this trash fire of a life."

Kid rinsed quickly, ducking his head under the spray. "Hey, now… Mom never did that."

Bobby sneered and crossed his arms. "That's because you were her favourite. Mommy's little helper. She had you tucked up under her aprons so far it was a wonder you could see her as anything other than a saint." 

Kid shut off the water. "That's not fair Bobby…. She tried her best to…"

"To what?" Bobby demanded, "To teach us about family. A woman who turned her back on her own family and followed a man halfway across the country? That same man who left her broke and sick in this same shit hole apartment. This woman, who instead of teaching her kids who to go out and be their own people, instead pulled them closer and closer to her so that she wouldn't be alone when she finally gave up the ghost?"

Kid sputtered, flushing angrily but Bobby wasn't about to stop.

"And that money she stole? Did she use it to take us away from here, get us into a better life? Did she use it to pay for college for you or school for me? Did she even try to pay the bills we racked up from the doctors. No she blitzes it all on some holistic hokum some fucking leprechaun tells her about at the fucking nail salon. And when the shit hits the fan, she ties you down to an impossible fucking promise and peaces out like a bitch."

Kid growled, "Don't call our mother a bitch."

Bobby snarled back. "I call it like a see it Bro."

Kid pushed past his brother, too angry to respond and too fucking scared that Bobby was right. His little brother had always been able to see things differently than Kid, the incubus blood in him had him hard wired differently. Incubi never pulled punches when it came to the truth.

He jerked on his clothes angrily, not caring particularly if his clothes matched. All he knew was that he needed to get out of there ASAP or he and his brother were going to have one of their infamous fights. The that time they'd wrecked half the apartment and had both ended up in the ER for similar injuries.

"I know you loved her. I did too." Bobby was leaning against the doorway to his room, he ran a hand though his greasy hair. "But the bottom line is that she's gone and left us holding the bag and that bag is full of shit and on fire. We need to talk about how we are going to deal with this Kid."

He took a step inside the room. "It's you and me now. We have to do this together."

Kid swallowed heavily, absently playing with the hoodie in his hands. "I made a promise…" he began.

Bobby let out a heavy sigh and sat on the bed. He put his head in his hands. "I know."

Kid sat next to him, close enough for their shoulders to touch. "It's hard for me to get past that. I'm trying Bobby. It's just been that way for so long I don't know how to be another way."

He nudged his brother gently. "We can talk about it when I get back ok? I promise. We will get through this somehow… together." 

Bobby nodded slowly, turning his head to stare at Kid for a moment. Kid's phone pinged and he checked it. It was a text from Garnet. 

*I thought only girls took forever to get ready*

Kid chuckled and sent back a princess emoji. *Not everyone can look as flawless as you, asshole*

*I woke up like this* came back only seconds later.

Bobby leaned over Kid's shoulder. "Who's this?"

Kid blushed and grinned shyly. "Just a guy I met." 

Bobby raised a coy brow. "Really?" he drew out the word by several syllables.

Kid pushed him playfully. "Fuck you."

Bobby sat back on the bed. "I just never thought that my virginal brother would ever meet someone that made him smile like that is all. " 

Kid sputtered. "I am no virgin." 

Bobby laughed raucously. "I know you had sex once but you've been such a fucking ice princess since then Disney might as well have made you Elsa. I hope you remember how to have sex at least, or do I need to give you some pointers."

"I very well know how to fuck thank you very much." Kid yanked on his hoodie with a scowl. "it helps that I've fantasized about him for years though."

"Wait…" Bobby sat up abruptly, a shocked look on his face. "Not Mr. Teen Beat Magazine."

Kid flushed and bit his lip as Bobby gaped. The younger man screamed. "YOU DOG!" 

Kid pushed him away when he jumped up and glomped his brother, pulling them both down into the bed. Bobby teased him as he grabbed the rest of his things but still slipped him a few condoms before Kid walked out the door.

"Ten Condoms?" Kid gawked, letting the wad unravel. "How much sex do you think we're going to have?"

"If you are lucky, all the sex" Bobby shot back and slammed the door in Kid's face. 

"JERK" Kid shouted and slapped the door but Bobby was too busy laughing to care.

Garnet was sitting astride his bike when Kid got down the stairs, holding out his extra helmet.

"You look good." he remarked as Kid accepted the helmet and swung on behind him. 

Kid did a subtle check of his clothes choices, he'd been too angry to concentrate on what he'd been pulling on. He'd managed jeans and a dark blue green fitted t-shirt with GO SPORTS! in white and his favourite Assassin's Creed black and grey zippered hoodie. He knew that it hugged his body in all the right places and no doubt Garnet appreciated the sight.

They drove out of the city to a local bed and breakfast. Kid raised his eyebrows at the sight but Garnet insisted that he'd chosen it because of the wicked breakfast buffets. He was right. Kid stuffed his face on homemade biscuits and gravy, eggs, bacon, pancakes and waffles. Cheesy, goey, sweet, mapley, crusty, greasy nirvana on a plate. The proprietress was a jovial woman with grey streaks in her hair and a quick tongue for making clever and hilarious jokes.

They spent a couple hours eating and talking to the other patrons and then travelled down the country road to a local flea market that was held in a large field. Kid gave the werewolf a sideways glance but Garnet just laughed and said to trust him.

They walked hand in hand, looking at the different stalls with their wares until they got to one in particular. Kid's mouth fell open and he rushed forward with a whoop. There, displayed in all their glory, were hundreds of Pez Dispensers of all shapes and sizes.

"No way!" Kid laughed, gasping and oohing over the collection as the amused stall owner looked on. "They have Mario and Looney tunes!" he tugged at Garnet's jacket excitedly. "Oh my Goddess they have the Simpsons."

He gasped and stood up straight, his eyes wide and he turned to the wolf and whispered. "He has Freddy Kruger."

Garnet grinned and turned to the seller. "How much?"

Kid gaped, grasping the leather jacket with both hands. "No you can't. it's too expensive."

Garnet pulled him in for a sweet, stunned kiss. "At least let me find out what the price is before we clutch at our pearls , Babe."

The price the seller quotes is not as high as Kid expected but he's still stunned when Garnet pulls out his wallet and buys the collectible on the spot. Its only when he'd tucked it securely in one of the pockets of the leather jacket for safe keeping, did Kid come out of his stupor. 

He jumped into the werewolf's arms, trusting Garnet to catch him and laughing delightedly when he did and planted a kiss directly on the man's lips. "By the Goddess I need you to fuck me right now."

Garnet knees buckled at the words and he tightened his grip around Kid with a choked sound. Even the seller tried their best to muffle their laughter and Kid realized that he might just have said that louder than intended.

They quickly made their way back to the bike and were zooming down the road in no time. Kid could feel the anticipation pooling in his gut, making his blood sing in his veins. They eventually pull up to a building in one of the gentrified neighbourhoods where the young single working people bought and decorated trendy apartments.

They park in an underground garage, Garnet explaining that this was his place away from the pack compound out in the woods. For when he needed the privacy that living with a bunch of nosy wolves rarely granted. There were runes along the walls and passageways that served as a fuck-ton of protection to the building and its inhabitants. 

Garnet's place was one of those cool loft spaces that every kid dreams about living in when they grew up. Exposed red brick walls, natural fabrics, some stainless steel in the kitchen and exposed copper pipework. The bathroom was all warm stone and cream linen with a huge moss bathmat that brightened the space. 

And don't forget the natural light. "Holy shit." Kid breathed in awe. "It's gorgeous."

"Thanks" the werewolf blushed, "I designed most of it myself."

Kid stared at the pink staining the other man's cheeks, mesmerized. "You're gorgeous. It's a given that your place would be as well. Show me the bedroom."

Kid held out his hand, palm down and waited until Garnet took it and pulled him closer. Without another word they walked to the bed room, the darker man opening the door and letting Kid walk in first. The room had the same bay windows but these were obscured by blackout curtains. The walls of the room were paneled in reclaimed wood that made it look like a old log cabin. 

The comforter was handmade and smooth from much use over time. It seemed at odds with the rest of the loft space but Kid figured that this space was the heart of the wolf's sanctuary and was the source of most of his comfort.

"Thank you" Kid said softly, turning to look at Garnet with luminous eyes. "… for letting me in... for letting me be here with you. "

Garnet's eyes flashed, hungry and golden then they are kissing, hard and searching as their arms wrap around each other.


End file.
